World cinema has been shaped by influential movements that challenged traditional filmmaking. From the French New Wave 's experimentation to Italian Neorealism 's gritty realism, these movements pushed boundaries and redefined cinematic language.
Asian and Latin American filmmakers also created unique movements. Japanese New Wave explored postwar themes, while Third Cinema addressed political issues. These diverse movements reflect the global nature of film and its power to inspire change.
European Film Movements
French New Wave (1950s-1960s)
Rejected traditional filmmaking conventions favored experimentation and personal expression
Emphasized visual style, editing, and unconventional narrative structures (jump cuts , long takes , hand-held camera )
Directors often wrote their own screenplays drew from personal experiences and observations
Key figures: Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless), François Truffaut (The 400 Blows ), Agnès Varda (Cléo from 5 to 7)
Influenced by Italian Neorealism and classical Hollywood cinema but sought to subvert and reinvent these traditions
Italian Neorealism (1940s-1950s)
Emerged in post-World War II Italy portrayed the struggles of working-class and poor Italians
Used non-professional actors , location shooting , and natural lighting to achieve a documentary-like realism
Focused on social and economic issues (poverty, unemployment, political strife) rather than individual characters or plot
Key figures: Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves ), Luchino Visconti (La Terra Trema ), Roberto Rossellini (Rome, Open City )
Influenced by French Poetic Realism and Soviet Montage laid the groundwork for the French New Wave
German Expressionism (1920s) and Soviet Montage (1920s-1930s)
German Expressionism used stylized sets, lighting, and acting to express inner psychological states and emotions
Emphasized visual composition , distorted perspectives, and high-contrast lighting to create a sense of unease or terror
Key figures: Robert Wiene (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ), F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu), Fritz Lang (Metropolis)
Influenced by post-World War I social and political upheaval and the rise of Freudian psychoanalysis
Soviet Montage used rapid editing and juxtaposition of images to create meaning and emotional impact
Emphasized the power of editing to manipulate time, space, and the viewer's perception of events
Key figures: Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin ), Dziga Vertov (Man with a Movie Camera), Vsevolod Pudovkin (Mother)
Influenced by Marxist ideology and the need to create a new, revolutionary cinema for the Soviet Union
Dogme 95 (1990s)
Danish filmmaking movement that sought to strip cinema down to its essentials and emphasize realism and authenticity
Established a set of rules (the "Vow of Chastity ") that prohibited the use of special effects, non-diegetic music, and other artificialities
Emphasized handheld camera work, natural lighting, location shooting, and improvisation to capture "the truth" of a scene
Key figures: Lars von Trier (The Idiots), Thomas Vinterberg (Festen), Søren Kragh-Jacobsen (Mifune)
Influenced by the French New Wave, cinéma vérité, and the rise of digital video technology in the 1990s
Latin American Film Movements
Third Cinema (1960s-1970s)
Political and social filmmaking movement that sought to challenge Hollywood dominance and neo-colonial oppression
Emphasized the need for a cinema that reflected the realities and struggles of Third World peoples (Latin America, Africa, Asia)
Used film as a tool for social and political change, often in service of leftist or revolutionary ideologies
Key figures: Fernando Solanas and Octavio Getino (The Hour of the Furnaces), Glauber Rocha (Black God, White Devil), Jorge Sanjinés (Blood of the Condor)
Influenced by Soviet Montage, Italian Neorealism, and the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist movements of the 1960s and 1970s
Cinema Novo (1960s-1970s)
Brazilian film movement that sought to create a distinctly national cinema that reflected the realities of Brazilian society
Emphasized location shooting, non-professional actors, and a documentary-like style to capture the texture of everyday life
Focused on social and political issues (poverty, inequality, political oppression ) and the experiences of marginalized communities
Key figures: Glauber Rocha (Black God, White Devil), Nelson Pereira dos Santos (Vidas Secas), Ruy Guerra (The Guns)
Influenced by Italian Neorealism, the French New Wave, and the political and cultural ferment of 1960s Brazil
Asian Film Movements
Japanese New Wave (1950s-1960s)
Rejected the conventions of traditional Japanese cinema in favor of more personal, experimental, and politically engaged filmmaking
Emphasized social and political critique, existential themes, and a more raw, unpolished visual style
Drew from a wide range of influences (French New Wave, jazz, avant-garde theater, documentary) to create a new cinematic language
Key figures: Nagisa Oshima (Night and Fog in Japan ), Shohei Imamura (The Insect Woman), Masahiro Shinoda (Pale Flower)
Influenced by the social and political upheavals of postwar Japan and the global youth culture of the 1960s
Parallel Cinema (1950s-1970s)
Indian film movement that sought to create a more realistic and socially engaged alternative to mainstream Bollywood cinema
Emphasized location shooting, naturalistic acting, and a focus on the lives of ordinary people and marginalized communities
Dealt with social and political issues (caste discrimination, rural poverty, the status of women) in a more direct and critical way
Key figures: Satyajit Ray (The Apu Trilogy ), Ritwik Ghatak (The Cloud-Capped Star), Mrinal Sen (The Royal Hunt)
Influenced by Italian Neorealism, the Bengali Renaissance, and the leftist and progressive movements in post-independence India