One of the most exciting movements in cinema, the French New Wave radically altered film, influencing and informing new kinds of cinema around the world and changing how we talk about and study films. The films of filmmakers like François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, and Jean-Luc Godard continue to inspire contemporary filmmakers and critics. Through watching and analyzing their first films, reading their writings in Cahiers du Cinéma, and exploring how film historians interpret this period now, we will attempt to understand the artistic, social, economic, and historical forces that shaped the film movement and filmmaking in the decades to follow.

NOTE: Students can obtain credit for only one of ENGL 3918 and FILM 3918.