The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from cele...
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This course aims to provide you with a solid grounding in the history of the French New Wave. It will explore the social, political, cultural and cinematic context for its emergence towards the end of the 1950s in France and it will examine some of the key filmmakers associated with it. We will look at a number of landmark films that form part of this exciting moment in film history, films that were to go on to exercise a great deal of influence across the globe, a legacy that we will also consider.
What will we cover?
• The political, social and cultural context for the movement that is known in French as la nouvelle vague • The French cinematic context for the emergence of the French New Wave • The filmmakers associated with the French New Wave • The key films of la nouvelle vague • The legacy of this extraordinary rich and vibrant cultural moment
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Demonstrate historical knowledge of the French New Wave
Have an understanding of the cinematic importance of the filmmakers associated with la nouvelle vague
Have a sense of some of the key films associated with the French New Wave
Have reached a critical appreciation of this period in French (and global) film history
Have an understanding of the legacy of this important movement
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is for all levels. The course is suitable for those who enjoy films that provoke thought and discussion. Please note that the French films discussed will be subtitled.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will be delivered as an informal lecture/talk but there will plenty of scope for discussion and questions throughout. The course will be supported by screening extracts from a range of films.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You should bring a device or a pen and paper to take notes, if you wish to. All clips from films shown during the class will be provided by the tutor.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Look for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.
Dr. Paul Sutton is an independent film scholar who has taught Film Studies in UK higher education for over 25 years. His research covers psychoanalytic and film theory as well as Italian and French cinema and critical theory. He has published articles in journals such as Screen, French Studies and the Journal for Cultural Research. He has developed a psychoanalytic theory of film spectatorship, Afterwardsness in Film, and published work on television as a form of palliative care, as well as an assessment of the films of the Italian experimental filmmaker Ugo Nespolo. In 2025 he published the ‘comprehensive and highly readable’ In the Scene: Agnès Varda, a book on the celebrated and much-loved French film director Agnès Varda. Paul is a Film Studies tutor and the co-ordinator for Film, TV and Media Studies at City Lit.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-french-new-wave3085252The French New Wavehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/exploring-film-genres-hf102-1080.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/European film22851177158020881228511771580<p>The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from celebrated directors such as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and others and from films that will include <em>Les Quatre Cents Coups</em>/<em>The 400 Blows</em> (François Truffaut 1959), <em>A bout de souffle</em>/<em>Breathless</em> (Jean-Luc Godard 1960), <em>Cléo de 5 à 7</em>/<em>Cleo from 5 to 7</em> (Agnès Varda 1962) and <em>Paris nous appartient</em>/<em>Paris Belongs to Us</em> (Jacques Rivette 1961). We will discuss all of these and more…</p>003085186The French New Wave7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/exploring-film-genres-hf102-1080.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-06-26T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJun 2027Culture, history & humanitiesHF2357979The French New Wave635179Paul Suttonthe-french-new-wave/hf235-2627<p>The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from celebrated directors such as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and others and from films that will include <em>Les Quatre Cents Coups</em>/<em>The 400 Blows</em> (François Truffaut 1959), <em>A bout de souffle</em>/<em>Breathless</em> (Jean-Luc Godard 1960), <em>Cléo de 5 à 7</em>/<em>Cleo from 5 to 7</em> (Agnès Varda 1962) and <em>Paris nous appartient</em>/<em>Paris Belongs to Us</em> (Jacques Rivette 1961). We will discuss all of these and more…</p>0000-Available|2027-06-26 00:00:00<p>This course aims to provide you with a solid grounding in the history of the French New Wave. It will explore the social, political, cultural and cinematic context for its emergence towards the end of the 1950s in France and it will examine some of the key filmmakers associated with it. We will look at a number of landmark films that form part of this exciting moment in film history, films that were to go on to exercise a great deal of influence across the globe, a legacy that we will also consider. </p><p>The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from celebrated directors such as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and others and from films that will include <em>Les Quatre Cents Coups</em>/<em>The 400 Blows</em> (François Truffaut 1959), <em>A bout de souffle</em>/<em>Breathless</em> (Jean-Luc Godard 1960), <em>Cléo de 5 à 7</em>/<em>Cleo from 5 to 7</em> (Agnès Varda 1962) and <em>Paris nous appartient</em>/<em>Paris Belongs to Us</em> (Jacques Rivette 1961). We will discuss all of these and more…</p><p>• The political, social and cultural context for the movement that is known in French as la nouvelle vague<br>• The French cinematic context for the emergence of the French New Wave<br>• The filmmakers associated with the French New Wave<br>• The key films of la nouvelle vague<br>• The legacy of this extraordinary rich and vibrant cultural moment </p><ul><li>Demonstrate historical knowledge of the French New Wave</li><li>Have an understanding of the cinematic importance of the filmmakers associated with la nouvelle vague</li><li>Have a sense of some of the key films associated with the French New Wave</li><li>Have reached a critical appreciation of this period in French (and global) film history</li><li>Have an understanding of the legacy of this important movement</li></ul><p>The course is for all levels. The course is suitable for those who enjoy films that provoke thought and discussion. Please note that the French films discussed will be subtitled.</p><p>The course will be delivered as an informal lecture/talk but there will plenty of scope for discussion and questions throughout. The course will be supported by screening extracts from a range of films.</p><p>You should bring a device or a pen and paper to take notes, if you wish to. All clips from films shown during the class will be provided by the tutor.</p><p>Look for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.</p>Film studiesEuropean filmvirtual637951HF235NONESat26/06/2710:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetPaul SuttonBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2027-06-26T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2027Culture, history & humanities7979The French New Wavethe-french-new-wave/hf235-2627<p>The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from celebrated directors such as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and others and from films that will include <em>Les Quatre Cents Coups</em>/<em>The 400 Blows</em> (François Truffaut 1959), <em>A bout de souffle</em>/<em>Breathless</em> (Jean-Luc Godard 1960), <em>Cléo de 5 à 7</em>/<em>Cleo from 5 to 7</em> (Agnès Varda 1962) and <em>Paris nous appartient</em>/<em>Paris Belongs to Us</em> (Jacques Rivette 1961). We will discuss all of these and more…</p>0000-Available|2027-06-26 00:00:00<p>This course aims to provide you with a solid grounding in the history of the French New Wave. It will explore the social, political, cultural and cinematic context for its emergence towards the end of the 1950s in France and it will examine some of the key filmmakers associated with it. We will look at a number of landmark films that form part of this exciting moment in film history, films that were to go on to exercise a great deal of influence across the globe, a legacy that we will also consider. </p><p>The French New Wave describes one of those moments in cinema history that many of us have heard of but may perhaps not know as much about as we would like. Are we familiar with the context for its emergence, for example, or the filmmakers associated with it and the legacy that endures even to this day? This one-day course aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to la nouvelle vague with clips from iconic films from celebrated directors such as Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette and others and from films that will include <em>Les Quatre Cents Coups</em>/<em>The 400 Blows</em> (François Truffaut 1959), <em>A bout de souffle</em>/<em>Breathless</em> (Jean-Luc Godard 1960), <em>Cléo de 5 à 7</em>/<em>Cleo from 5 to 7</em> (Agnès Varda 1962) and <em>Paris nous appartient</em>/<em>Paris Belongs to Us</em> (Jacques Rivette 1961). We will discuss all of these and more…</p><p>• The political, social and cultural context for the movement that is known in French as la nouvelle vague<br>• The French cinematic context for the emergence of the French New Wave<br>• The filmmakers associated with the French New Wave<br>• The key films of la nouvelle vague<br>• The legacy of this extraordinary rich and vibrant cultural moment </p><ul><li>Demonstrate historical knowledge of the French New Wave</li><li>Have an understanding of the cinematic importance of the filmmakers associated with la nouvelle vague</li><li>Have a sense of some of the key films associated with the French New Wave</li><li>Have reached a critical appreciation of this period in French (and global) film history</li><li>Have an understanding of the legacy of this important movement</li></ul><p>The course is for all levels. The course is suitable for those who enjoy films that provoke thought and discussion. Please note that the French films discussed will be subtitled.</p><p>The course will be delivered as an informal lecture/talk but there will plenty of scope for discussion and questions throughout. The course will be supported by screening extracts from a range of films.</p><p>You should bring a device or a pen and paper to take notes, if you wish to. All clips from films shown during the class will be provided by the tutor.</p><p>Look for other Film Studies courses under History Culture and Writing/Film Studies at www.citylit.ac.uk.</p>Film studiesEuropean filmconfigurable
20881580European filmhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/film-studies/european-film1/2/285/1177/1580/20881/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Film studies/European film
