Directed by Richard Linklater, the film Nouvelle Vague debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a standing ovation that lasted 11 minutes at the Palais.
Among the attendees was Quentin Tarantino, who not only participated in the extended applause but had also viewed the film earlier that day, marking his second viewing in roughly eight hours after attending a special screening earlier Saturday morning.
The French-language film Nouvelle Vague pays tribute to Jean-Luc Godard’s 1959 groundbreaking film Breathless. It reimagines the creation of the iconic film featuring Jean Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg. In Linklater’s rendition, French actor Guillaume Marbeck steps into the role of Godard, Zoey Deutch plays Seberg, and the emerging talent Aubry Dullin takes on the role of Belmondo.
Richard Linklater, a five-time Oscar nominee, has a history with Cannes. His last competition entry was in 2006 with Fast Food Nation, and in the same year, he presented A Scanner Darkly in the Un Certain Regard section. The director known for Boyhood and Before Midnight recently premiered his musical drama Blue Moon at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
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Nouvelle Vague (New Wave), Linklater’s 33rd feature film, unfolds partly in Cannes. The movie serves as a nostalgic homage to cinema, crafted in the distinctive style and spirit of Godard’s Breathless. The film features a cast portraying legendary figures of the French New Wave era including Claude Chabrol, François Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman, and Raoul Coutard.
In Linklater’s words from the film’s production notes, “This project is not about remaking Breathless but rather exploring it from a fresh perspective. I aim to delve back into 1959, capturing the era, the people, and the atmosphere with my camera. I encouraged the actors to immerse themselves fully, reminding them they are not just recreating a period but living in that moment. Godard, while a respected critic, was a novice in directing. It’s all about experiencing the thrill of creating with him, filled with both excitement and uncertainty about the film’s release.”
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The film is produced and distributed in France by ARP Selection. The screenwriting team includes Holly Gent, Vince Palmo, Michèle Halberstadt, and Laetitia Masson, with international sales managed by Vincent Maraval’s Goodfellas.
Erik Pedersen contributed to this report.
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