The Art of Directing: A Concise Dictionary of France's Film Directors

This erudite and informative book on French film directors is a comprehensive deep dive into the multi-faceted and interconnected landscape of Francophone cinema. From Akerman to Zidi, via Godard and Gondry, the volume marshals an impressive range of scholars who demonstrate how the French 'art of directing – whether from established legends or emerging voices – is a blend of the perceptive, the provocative, and the populist.

Format: Hardback
Length: 542 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2023
Publisher: Peter Lang International Academic Publishers

This erudite and informative book on French film directors is a comprehensive deep dive into the multi-faceted and interconnected landscape of Francophone cinema. From Akerman to Zidi, via Godard and Gondry, the volume marshals an impressive range of scholars who demonstrate how the French 'art of directing – whether from established legends or emerging voices – is a blend of the perceptive, the provocative and the populist.

This impressive book is full of passion and fun facts. A wonderful work of scholarship, comprehensive and yet personable.

The Art of Directing is a fabulous new resource for everyone interested in French cinema. Scholars and film-lovers alike will find much to be informed and inspired by in its concise but rich entries on 121 different directors. This will be the starting point for anyone wanting to know more about the directors who have shaped French cinema from the silent era to the present day.

From Chantal Akerman to Claude Zidi, from auteur cinema to mainstream filmmaking, this wide-ranging book explores the world of French film directors, many ignored by critics until now. It includes entries by specialists from around the world and will be essential reading for students and lovers of the French-speaking world and film buffs alike.

The Art of Directing is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in French cinema since its beginning. This volume takes us on a fascinating journey where we will meet the directors who have made French cinema a unique and vibrant art form, from the early pioneers of silent cinema to the contemporary masters of the craft.

The book is organized into five sections, each dedicated to a different era or genre of French cinema. The first section explores the silent era, with entries on directors such as Louis Feuillade, Georges Méliès and Jean Renoir, who laid the foundations for the art of directing cinema. The second section focuses on the golden age of French cinema, from the 1930s to the 1950s, with entries on directors such as Jean Renoir, François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais, who revolutionized the way. The third section explores the New Wave, from the 1950s to the 1960s, with entries on directors such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette and Jean-Pierre Melville, who pushed the boundaries of cinematic expression and experimentation. The fourth section explores the 1960s and 1970s, with entries on directors such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, Claude Chabrol and Jacques Rivette, who continued to push the boundaries of cinematic expression and experimentation. The fifth section explores the 1980s and 1990s, with entries on directors such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Alain Resnais, Olivier Assayas and Luc Besson, who continued to push the boundaries of cinematic expression and experimentation.

Each entry in the book is written by a leading expert on the director in question, providing a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of their work. The entries are accompanied by a wealth of photographs, film stills, and other visual materials, which help to bring the directors' work to life and provide a deeper understanding of their artistic vision.

In addition to its comprehensive coverage of French film directors, The Art of Directing also includes a bibliography. This section provides a brief history of French cinema, from its early days to the present day, and discusses the key themes. It also includes a glossary of key terms, which provides a comprehensive and up-to-date glossary of key terms and concepts used in the book, as well as a bibliography, which provides a comprehensive list of works cited in the book.

Overall, The Art of Directing is a must-read for anyone interested in French cinema, whether they are students, scholars, film-lovers or simply curious about the art of directing. It is a comprehensive and accessible guide.

Weight: 882g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800797635
Edition number: New ed