The French New Wave was perhaps the biggest--and briefest--explosion in
the history of world cinema, with more than hundred French directors
shooting debut features between 1958 and 1964. Its aftershocks are still
being felt today. Through the work of such directors as Jean-Luc Godard
and François Truffaut, filmmakers came to be seen as outstanding artists
rather than mere studio technicians, paving the way for contemporary
cinematic auteurs such as Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodóvar, and Luc
Besson. This volume begins by tracing the social and cultural changes of
postwar France that gave birth to the New Wave then examines in detail
the careers of artists like Alain Renais and Jean-Luc Godard. The
French New Wave: A New Look is a concise and accessible account of a
crucial movement in film history.