From UK film journal Static Mass
http://staticmass.net/cinema/two-in-the-wave/
I also got to meet Emmanuel Laurent for an interview which we're publishing later tonight. If anyone has any questions about the documentary, do feel to ask :)
THE ESSENCE OF FILM
http://staticmass.net
I just saw this at the European Union Film Festival in Chicago. I thought it was fantastic, because I'm fairly new to that era of filmmaking and I have a lot to learn. I haven't yet seen most of the movies that were mentioned. I have seen Breathless, I saw it for the first time in the theater a few months ago. I will watch the movie again down the line when I've seen more of the films and it will mean even more to me.
I'd like to know who that woman is that's shown throughout the film, looking at newspaper clippings. I feel stupid, like I should know, but I must have missed something.
Hello WretchAwry, thanks for reading. It's the same for me as well, a new genre to learn so much about. I recently saw 400 Blows and definitely would recommend it.
The woman in the film is an actress, filmmkaer and friend of the film's writer who was starring in Goddard's film. Her name is Isild Le Besco and she guides us through the archives like a silent host.
I interviewed Emmanuel Laurent, the director, and he shared a lot of insight into the making of Two In The Wave and the French New Wave in general which gave me a lot of pointers on what films to look out for, such as 400 Blows. He definitely favours the films by Truffaut more than Goddard because they spoke more to him and I think I agree, though I still need to see more of their films.
http://staticmass.net/interviews/emmanuel-laurent/
THE ESSENCE OF FILM
http://staticmass.net
Two In The Wave was great but of course nothing beats watching the films themselves! All Godard and Truffaut movies up to '67 are well worth watching, including the shorts. Might sound obvious but I'd recommend watching their films in the order they made them and reading a little about the circumstances of production first (interesting to discover who produced each one and how successful they were etc). I'd also recommend treating Godard and Truffaut quite separately. They are quite different in so many ways and I do not think there is much to gain from comparing their work, save for the few points raised by Two In The Wave. My favourites change often but perhaps my fave Truffaut is his short, "Antoine Et Collette" and my favourite Godard's are "Une Femme Est Une Femme" and "Pierrot Le Fou" (both of which I found infuriating on first viewing and astoundingly compelling on reluctant second view). I also love Truffaut's "The Bride Wore Black" made with tongue firmly in cheek. Also look out for the hilarious short by Jean-Daniel Pollet "Rue Saint-Denis", Agnes Varda's debut, "La Pointe-Courte" and finally to complete your Nouvelle Vague session I heartily recommend finishing with the 2004 documentary, "Le Fantôme d'Henri Langlois". Now, if only we had a cinema of our own to programme!
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