Written by Ananya Panchal. Photos taken by Kashvi Pallapotu.
Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” is one of the poster children of the French New Wave—a revolutionary era of French cinema. The movement is known for its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions and for its bold experimentation. The impact of this movement cannot be overstated, but many today find these movies unapproachable owing to their avant-garde style.
However, “Breathless” proves to be an anomaly. Yes, it is a monochromatic film, there are a lot of jump cuts, and the ending does feature an ambiguous breaking-the-fourth-wall moment. But Breathless connected to audiences in a way that movies from this era notoriously don’t.
Breathless is in this year’s Film Fest lineup in anticipation of “Nouvelle Vague”, a new movie from powerhouse director Richard Linklater starring Zoey Duetch. This new release takes a look at the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s classic, Breathless. Zoey Duetch stars as Jean Seberg, an icon of the French New Wave highlighted by her performance in “Breathless”. Duetch was presented with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the screening for the new Linklater screening.
Breathless is romantic. Director Jean-Luc Godard shows us the story of Michel and Patricia, an impulsive, saucy thief from Paris and a charming, youthful American journalist. Their dialogue is orchestrated like a symphony—a highlight of the movie. Not only is it written poetically, but it is also delivered by actors Jean-Paul Belmondo(Michel) and Jean Seberg(Patricia) with so much intention. Their dialogue is layered, perfectly timed and rhythmic; it has its own character. Their banter was so captivating that you realise that you just watched a 30-minute-long scene, all in the same setting, with just two people talking. Their conversations on love and life might be rooted 50 to 60 years ago, but they still stay relevant and relatable today.
“Breathless” is existential. There is probably no combination of themes in cinema or literature more contentious than love and death—it is perhaps the exploration of the two that makes the film so captivating. A secondary theme in “Breathless” is mortality. Both lead characters experience their own existential dilemma. Michel Crisis explores his identity through masculinity—being seen as tough and fearless. He often thinks about “death,” and this is cleverly reflected in his dialogue and certain imagery in the film. Patricia deals with seeking fulfillment in her life; she has a tendency to be swept away by philosophical and ambiguous ideas of life that stop her from being grounded in reality.
It is the contrast between the two characters, both in their mannerisms and dialogue, that creates a really engaging viewing experience. They have a certain push-and-pull quality to their romance that keeps tensions high. In many ways, the movie is about the games they play with themselves to find meaning in their attraction, given their stark differences.
Lastly, “Breathless” is funny. Old humour is often hit or miss for modern audiences. Old lingo gets outdated, contexts become unrelatable, but Breathless is timeless, even with how it uses its humour. The movie theatre consistently responded to Godard’s clever, witty screenplay and narrative.
This Saturday’s viewing of “Breathless” just goes to show how stories transcend time and culture. While we always have premieres for the year’s latest movies, it’s good to keep in mind that the Savannah Film Fest is also a great opportunity to watch some older movies from different cultures. These are movies that are particularly harder to find, and getting to watch them on the big screen is a rare opportunity!
