By: Adam Bekhet
The 400 Blows, directed by Francois Truffaut is one film from the series The Adventures of Antoine Doniel. This film was meant at it’s time of release to move people with emotion. François Truffaut eventually won a Cannes Best Director Award in 1959 for his work in this film.
Antoine Doinel is a young adolescent growing up in Paris. His strict and parents and heavy-handed teacher push him to be consistently unhappy. This troubled start leads him to lie, steal, and run away from his own home.
As a new wave director, Francois Truffaut took pride in his filming locations. He used real scenes that often included backdrops of the unmistakable Paris skyline. His transitions and long shots showcased his ability to use minimal lighting and resources to create film that resonated with people. Truffaut’s ability to display detail in the day-to-day of life is what makes his work so powerful in my opinion. The last scene of the movie, where Antoine is shown running into the ocean is a big example of how Truffaut used limited resources to touch our hearts. Antoine runs to the ocean in a shot that makes the audience feel that he has finally broke free of oppression that holds him down. As the shot ends, Truffaut zooms in on Antoine until it is his face. This gives us time to understand the gravity of the situation, and time to feel his pain/freedom. Utilizing that shot just displays how a simple shot can have a strong effect and that exemplifies the French New Wave in my opinion.
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