Nouvelle Vague

At the premiere of La Passe du diable, Godard and the Cahiers critics attend the afterparty. Godard harshly criticizes the film and proclaims he will become a film director, joining his peers in the move toward directing. The moment marks the start of his personal project and creative ambition.

At the Cannes Film Festival, Truffaut's The 400 Blows becomes a resounding success, signaling a breakthrough for young filmmakers. The triumph inspires Godard and others to pursue their own projects and ideas. The new confidence fuels the Cahiers’ experimental spirit.

Godard resolves to direct a film based on Truffaut's short outline, drawing on influences from Michel Portail and his girlfriend Beverly Lynette. This decision sets the production in motion and marks a deliberate break from simply critiquing others’ work. The project aligns with the Cahiers group’s evolving approach to cinema.

Godard selects Jean-Paul Belmondo, recently completed with his military service, for the lead role as Michel Poiccard. The casting anchors the film’s energy and suits the spontaneous, street-level style he envisions. This choice will shape the on-screen dynamic between the characters.

Roberto Rossellini visits Cahiers du Cinéma and urges the staff to avoid artistic artifice and shoot efficiently. His blunt guidance pushes Godard toward a lean, practical workflow. The encounter reinforces a preference for realism over polish in the project.

Godard hires Pierre Rissient as assistant director and receives advice from Jean-Pierre Melville. Their input helps shape the production’s structure and the collaboration among the troupe. The mentorship adds a layer of insider support for the ambitious shoot.

Jean Seberg promotes her film Bonjour Tristesse, and Godard meets her through her husband. He casts her as Patricia, aligning his lead actress with his evolving project. The casting introduces a new on-screen dynamic and test of the director’s spontaneous approach.

Godard hires Raoul Coutard as cinematographer and articulates a guerilla filmmaking ethos with shooting in the Academy ratio. The chosen visual language signals a radical shift from conventional filmmaking to a lean, on-the-ground style. This becomes a defining feature of the shoot.

On the first day of production, Godard films only a single scene. The crew confronts his fluid, rapidly changing plan, and the pace sets a volatile tone for the remainder of the shoot. This starts a pattern of experimental, sometimes frustrating, days on set.

As filming continues, constant script rewrites and the emphasis on spontaneity undermine continuity and bewilder the cast. The exceptionally short shooting days frustrate performers, and Seberg even considers leaving briefly. Belmondo is warned that his career could be jeopardized by the chaotic process.

After a week, Godard shares drinks with Truffaut and Schiffman and voices an interest in casting Truffaut as an informant in the film. The discussion reflects a willingness to blur fiction and reality in the project. The idea signals a shift toward meta-casting within the production.

In the second week, Godard suspends filming for a day, claiming he’s not feeling well. Georges Beauregard arrives furious about delays and threatens to cancel the project. Under pressure, Godard accelerates production and continues filming more scenes.

Mid-second week, Godard casts himself as the informant after Truffaut declines the role. He also films a cameo of Jean-Pierre Melville near an airport, injecting the production with self-referential moments. The meta-casting underscores the film’s experimental stance.

The film includes the scene where Belmondo’s character dies on the street. Godard and Seberg clash over how to handle the dying Michel’s pockets, with Seberg refusing a particular approach. After finishing her last scene, Seberg heads back to Hollywood to shoot another film.

After 23 days of shooting, Godard wraps production. In post-production, he urges editor Cécile Decugis to use jump cuts, provoking disagreement. He screens Breathless for Truffaut, Chabrol, Schiffman, and Beauregard, who dismiss it at first, even though the film would become hugely influential.