François Truffaut
For the Love of Films
Our tribute to a leading figure of the nouvelle vague continues with some of Truffaut’s most sophisticated studies of human passion.
In January, screening the Antoine Doinel cycle and the films in which Jean Renoir’s influence could be discerned, we noted that Truffaut, for all his cinephilia, was at heart a humanist, fascinated by the inner lives of complex, flawed individuals. The same remains true of the films playing this month, which highlight both his abiding interest in literature and cinema as different but related forms of storytelling, and his profound admiration for Alfred Hitchcock. Whether adapting favourite novels (and most of the ‘Hitchcock Truffauts’ here are based on books) or paying homage to the older director’s distinctive style of cutting, camera movement and composition, Truffaut was primarily concerned with what drove his characters to behave as they did. Extreme or obsessive emotions predominate – always observed with sharp insights and a cool compassion.
Geoff Andrew
The Literary Truffaut
Films inspired by books, films about books, films about writing and storytelling.
Fahrenheit 451
Truffaut’s imaginative adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s novel about a society where books are banned.
Anne and Muriel
Truffaut’s delicate account of a young Frenchman’s encounter with two English sisters in the early 1900s.
Anne and Muriel + intro by actor Kika Markham
Truffaut’s delicate account of a young Frenchman’s encounter with two English sisters in the early 1900s.
The Story of Adèle H
Truffaut’s tale of deranged romantic obsession centres on an extraordinarily intense performance by Isabelle Adjani.
The Green Room
Truffaut adapts Henry James, and plays the lead in a sombre but lyrical study of morbid marital devotion.
Jules et Jim
From 4 February
Truffaut’s classic account of a ménage-à-trois is a bittersweet ode to romantic idealism.
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The Hitchcock Truffaut
Films displaying the influence (thematic and stylistic) of ‘the master of suspense’.
Shoot the Pianist
Truffaut’s highly influential blend of pastiche gangster movie and romantic reverie was a landmark New Wave movie.
La Peau douce
Truffaut’s classic account of an ill-starred adulterous affair boasts Hitchcockian precision and pitch-perfect performances.
The Bride Wore Black
Jeanne Moreau delights in Truffaut’s tale of a woman savouring the taste of murderous revenge.
Mississippi Mermaid
Deneuve and Belmondo excel in Truffaut’s crime mystery about an arranged marriage going catastrophically off the rails.
The Woman Next Door
Truffaut’s cautionary tale about the unexpected encounter of former lovers now married.
Finally Sunday!
Truffaut’s final film is a light-hearted thriller, as an estate agent’s secretary investigates the murder of her boss’s wife.
Talks and events
BFI Course: François Truffaut
A six-session course, for beginners and aficionados alike, that explores Truffaut's journey from critic to filmmaker, his role in the French New Wave and more.
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Want more?
See screenings of The 400 Blows, Jules et Jim, a collections focus in the library, and our Member Pick.
A selection of 10 Truffaut films will be available on BFI Player Subscription from January, and a selection of Truffaut films will screen around the UK.
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