# Why Should You Watch French Films

My good friend @surrealfia recently reminded me of Le Petit Soldat which she is planning to watch, a film written and directed by one of the forerunner of the French New Wave, Jean-luc Godard. The film can be a mascot for what the movement embodied.

What was the french new wave? A bunch of French artists and critics decided to break away from the traditional way of filmmaking, disregarding conformity with the established cultures, safe ideas.

Films, via their hands became much more political and had real social impact. Filmmaking style changed too, they changed scenes frequently without much head ups, many jump cuts (godard specialty) and longer takes. The whole thing undermined some of the theatrical qualities and queerness old french films (and also most of hollywood) had.

The change, of course, upset some authorities, Le petit soldat was based on Algerian war and the french authority did not look good in it. They banned the film.

But revolutionaries like Godard had courage in their hearts and their movement ultimtely gave birth to the new hollywood movement and also the new german cinema. In a way, those french films are some of the most important work in film history.

The way I see it, the question isn't why should you, rather why shouldn't you see them?