Low-budget avant-garde French films made between 1950 and 1970 are known as Nouveau films. The French film industry’s New Wave movement is described by the word nouveau, which means “new” in English. There were no studio directors involved in the production of these films, and the director is frequently the film’s author, which is a hallmark of nouveau films. The films are based on the director’s social or political beliefs, and they use unusual filming or acting techniques. The socioeconomic forces following World War II, as well as general discontent with the film industry, had a significant impact on French film directors.
The theme, which is the most important aspect of a nouveau film, focuses on the spirit of attacking cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, and a self-aware rejection of classical cinematic forms. The emphasis on a person’s individuality and the obvious futility of human existence were central themes in French New Wave films. The political upheavals in Europe following World War II, as well as social conflicts in the 1950s and 1960s, were the subjects of film scripts. To make a point to audiences, the scripts used a variety of styles, including the straight narrative style.
Producers of French nouveau films had to work within a limited budget and frequently had to improvise on actors, actresses, and scene locations. The director would sometimes forego hiring professional actresses and actors in favor of enlisting the help of close friends who would perform in the film for free. Directors would shoot their films in public places or at the homes of friends with minimal special effects and lighting.
The actor’s or actress’s interaction with the script’s dialogue, their actions in front of the camera, and their interaction with the audience are just a few of the novel aspects of nouveau film. Actors did not attempt to suspend the audience’s disbelief in the film, but rather added to it. Actors were encouraged to switch characters from one scene to the next, and they frequently addressed the audience while in character. Some movies cast walk-ons or extras as main characters, while others cast actors as walk-ons.
Nouveau filmmakers radically experimented with their films’ visual style and editing processes. The filming style was one-of-a-kind. The directors used inventive techniques to remind the audience that the film is simply a series of moving images. Filmmakers, for example, used long tracking shots for scenes and extended the camera lenses beyond the standard 180 degrees used in most movies.