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Discover the richness of French cinema — a monthly event dedicated to classic films and expert-led discussions. Each session features a renowned French film, offering a unique opportunity to explore its artistic, cultural, and historical significance.
A carefully selected classic French film is screened each month.
A cinema expert or guest speaker provides insights into the film's context, themes, and artistic impact.
Attendees can join the discussion, share their thoughts, and deepen their appreciation of French cinema.
Deborah specialises in cinema and translation. Her research spans French, New Zealand, and Māori cinema, with a growing focus on Indigenous film. She has subtitled Māori and NZ films, translated a Māori novel into French, and co-directed a documentary on Kanak writer Déwé Gorodey. Since 2018, she has co-directed the Wairoa Māori Film Festival, curating and translating Māori short films for international festivals.
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Pierre has a passion for exploring how film reflects and questions our humanity. Through the lens of powerful storytelling, he guides audiences in uncovering the ethical dilemmas, emotional landscapes, and social contexts that define iconic French films. His insightful approach invites us to examine our own moral compass, confront uncomfortable truths, and appreciate the enduring force of memory, empathy, and resilience.
For our fourth cycle, we explore Nouvelle Vague, a major turning point in French cinema at the end of the 1950s. Characterised by its freshness, spontaneity, and desire to break away from traditional filmmaking, the movement introduced new ways of filming and storytelling that continue to influence directors today.
With its handheld cameras, natural locations, playful editing and youthful energy, Nouvelle Vague cinema embraced freedom, both artistic and narrative. Through films such as Jean-Luc Godard's À bout de souffle and other emblematic works of the period, this cycle highlights a moment when cinema opened itself to experimentation, personal expression, and a more direct connection to real life.
A vibrant, inventive era that reshaped the possibilities of filmmaking and still feels remarkably modern.
Featured Director
A pioneering French-Swiss filmmaker and one of the central figures of the Nouvelle Vague. Renowned for his bold experimentation and uncompromising artistic vision, Godard challenged traditional storytelling through inventive editing, playful narration, and constant reimagining of cinema's possibilities.
Known for landmark films such as À bout de souffle (1960) and Le Mépris (1963), he blended intellectual depth with visual innovation, creating works that questioned society, art, and the medium itself. His influence remains profound, as he opened new paths for modern filmmaking and expanded the expressive language of cinema.
Past
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard · Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo & Jean Seberg
Michel, a small-time criminal on the run after killing a police officer, drifts through Paris in search of escape and meaning. He reconnects with Patricia, an American journalism student, hoping to convince her to flee with him. As the police close in, their relationship wavers between charm, uncertainty, and betrayal.
Past
Les Quatre Cents Coups · Directed by François Truffaut · Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud
Antoine Doinel is a misunderstood Parisian boy struggling with neglect at home and harsh discipline at school. As he drifts further into rebellion, his search for escape leads him into increasingly serious trouble. A poignant portrait of a child caught between innocence and disillusionment, culminating in one of the most iconic final images in film history.
Next session
Directed by Agnès Varda
Cléo, a young and successful pop singer, wanders through Paris while awaiting the results of a medical test that may confirm she has cancer. Over the course of two hours — from 5 to 7 pm — she moves from vanity and anxiety toward self-awareness and emotional clarity. A moving meditation on femininity, mortality, and the quiet transformation that can occur in a single afternoon.
Master of intimate, human-centred storytelling — revealing the beauty and complexity of ordinary lives with elegance, warmth, and remarkable sensitivity.
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Known for his versatility and bold storytelling, Malle's films capture the complexities of human nature and society with a striking visual style.
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🗓️ Tuesday 7 July
🕔 6PM
📍 Alliance Française Auckland
💸 AF Members: $5
Non-members: $10
Info & booking : Click on the image
Discover Madame Bovary by Claude Chabrol, a French cinema classic, with expert insights. With English subtitles
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