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François Truffaut

By User:AllieCashel @timeAndDate(1278515732) François Truffaut was and remains an icon of French Cinema, one of the best film directors the world has yet to see. One of the leading directors of the French New Wave film movement, his film career lasted over a quarter of a decade that only seemed to improve as the years went on. Most of his films had many characteristics from the French New Wave movement, like an obvious rejection of classical cinematic form for example, as well as typical characteristics of French Noir films. But his films also all had their own touch of Truffaut flair. Truffaut's portrayal of the unique and impressive insight into the complex personalities of his characters add interesting layers to all of his films. He directed primarily in French, with only one attempt to direct a film in English, but all of his films have been translated into many different languages for all users to enjoy. At the time of his film releases, he was recognized with many different awards (including an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film) and the continued popularity of his films honors his work even today. If you have yet to see one of François Truffaut's films, grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy one of his remarkable films.

Popular Films

'''''The 400 Blows''''' - Or ''Les Quatre Cents Coups ''in French, was released in 1959 to rave reviews. It tells the story of Antoine Doinel, a fairly average adolescent living in Paris who's parents and teachers all see him as a horrible trouble maker. This was his feature film debut but immediately gained him an important position in the world of cinema. Truffaut took home the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director and the film took home numerous other awards. The film provides a touching portrayal into Doinel's life and is also a wonderful example of some of Truffaut's best films. '''''Shoot the Piano Player''''' sequence shots, Truffaut attempted to combine the French New Wave movement with a tribute to the American genre of film and literary noir. Though most reviewers found the film incredibly successful, it did not do very well at the box office and as a result, Truffaut didn't experiment as quite as intensely ever again. '''''Day For Night'''''''' - Or ''La Nuit Américane'', directly translated to "American Night", won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and is often considered one of Truffaut's most successful films. It depicts the shooting of a TV melodrama and the real life drama that goes on behind the cameras. What is unique about it, however, is the technical process Truffaut took the film through, in which all of the sequences shot during the day time are made to appear like they are happening at night. It was recognized at many different award ceremonies and is one of Truffaut's films that is still incredibly popular among viewers today.  '''''Small Change''''' - Or ''L'Argent Du Poche ''in French, tells the light and comedic story of a group of small children living in Thiers, France. This critically and commercially acclaimed film does not attempt to tell a full or perfect story, but rather to depict a view of the most important moments of childhood, mimicking many peoples memories. The film appears so natural and effortless that many people originally thought that the dialogue was improvised, but in reality was carefully crafted by Truffaut's brilliant vision patient hands. '''''Fahrenheit 451''''' - Filmed in 1966, this film marked many firsts for Truffaut, his first color film and his first (and only) film directed and shot in English. It is based on Truffaut's favorite novel of the same name, and in according to a  journal Truffaut kept during the production process was his "saddest and most difficult film making experience." It was first released to mixed reviews but has grown in popularity now accepted for what it is, a story of a possible future. It now has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a much harder rating to receive that it may originally seem. Other popular Truffaut films include ''Two English Girls''.

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* French New Wave Film * Famous Directors * Foreign Film Noir * Famous Artists * Foreign Films