“May 68 began with the cinema” considers George Adair as he compares the catalystic effect of Henri Langlois’ removal as curator from the Cinémathèque Française (think French BFI) on May 68- to the assassination of Franz Ferdiand on the First World War.
Whilst Langlois was shortly reinstated, the whole event was only really symptomatic of larger political issues in France and a sign of things to come. This May sees us 50 years removed from the student protests, and cultural revolution of the time that lead to the fall of the De Gaulle government and in light of the anniversary there is a a wealth of screenings and events reflecting and remembering this fateful month.
Armed with the power of hindsight I’ve been reading up on the thoughts of critics and filmmakers on the ramifications of 68’s events and how they shaped French cinema. Their opinions are certainly divided, but there seems to be a shared feeling that this was the last truly creative and passionate time in French cinema. A thought that can perhaps be summed up when comparing 1968 as Truffaut and Goddard swung from cinema curtains in Cannes to being a halt to the festival in protest over Langlois’ firing, to 2007 as Jerry Seinfeld swung over Cannes in a giant bee costume promoting another in a long line of American CGI durge.
Although it may be too easy for me now to look back on 60s French cinema with nostalgia, it certainly is exciting to remember a time when a passion for the sacredness of Langlois and what he represented was enough to draw people out into the streets in protest.
Overall I’m sadly far than informed on this part of French cinema’s history, but now is a better time than ever to swot up on my knowledge and learn more about 60s French cinema beyond that of Goddard and Truffaut
French events and screenings going on are also encompassed by the larger ‘All Power to the Imagination: 1968 and its Legacies’ cinema season which is reflecting on movements and events that took place world wide. Playing host to the season’s French strand are the BFI Southbank (Pop Goes the Revolution), Cine Lumiere and Tate Modern and Over the next few weeks myself and WOF contributors will be posting info on screenings and events that have caught our eyes from the whole 1968 season.
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