Les Cousins

The Cousins

Claude Chabrol’s tragic clash of innocence and decadence won the Berlin Golden Bear in 1959 and was the first New Wave film released in Britain.

  • Director

    Claude Chabrol

  • With

    Gérard Blain, Jean-Claude Brialy, Stéphane Audran

  • France 1959. 112min

  • Video

  • Certificate

    12A

  • English subtitles

Claude Chabrol’s stylish sophomore feature sees two very different cousins – innocent country mouse Charles and self-indulgent city boy Paul – involved in a love triangle, with dire consequences. Although years away from the thrillers that would earn him the label the ‘French Hitchcock’, Chabrol’s knack for slow-building tension, edging towards a devastating finale, is already evident. It’s a defining contribution to and the first box-office hit of the French New Wave.

Diana Cipriano

The screening of Les Cousins on Thursday 8 January will be introduced by season curator Diana Cipriano.