The Living Image: French Cinema from the Lumieres to the Balieux

This is the sixth in the Screen Education's series on national cinemas around the world. Armstrong begins his essay discussing the early days of one of the richest national cinemas, and the films by the Lumieres and George Melies. He continues, elaborating on the protectionist struggle for French screens against Hollywood domination, a sense of history, cinema culture and literature crucial for understanding French film. He maps out the key historical periods; French Poetic Realism, The New Wave, Cinema Verite, the advent of television, documentary and political filmmaking and the recent focus on the lives of women, children, the poor and the depressed. The article also provides a Suggested Viewing list essential for further research in the field.