About Breathless

Breathless (French: À bout de souffle; "Out of Breath") is a 1960 crime drama film directed by Jean-Luc Godard. It revolves around the story of a wandering criminal (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and his American girlfriend (Jean Seberg). The film is notable for its groundbreaking unconventional narrative structure and filmmaking techniques, which paved the way for the French New Wave cinema movement.

Making / Production

The film was directed by Jean-Luc Godard, his first feature-length work. It was shot on location in Paris. The cinematography, done in a documentary style, was a revolutionary approach at the time. Considered a pioneer of the French New Wave, Godard broke away from traditional Hollywood storytelling conventions and experimented with long tracking shots, jump cuts, and lack of transitions.

Actors

• Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michel Poiccard: An impulsive criminal, he embodied the spirit of the French New Wave with his raw, charismatic performance.
• Jean Seberg as Patricia Franchini: A naïve American abroad, she delivered an unforgettable performance, which became iconic.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is famous for its long tracking shots and use of jump cuts.
• Despite its critical success, the film was not immediately successful upon its initial release.

Awards

Despite the initial controversy, Breathless won numerous awards and nominations. It was nominated for a BAFTA as Best Film, a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and won the Silver Bear award for best director at the 10th Berlin International Film Festival.

Quotes

• "When we talked, I talked about me, you talked about you, when we should have talked about each other."
• "Informers inform, burglars burgle, murderers murder, lovers love."

Music, Soundtrack

• The soundtrack by Martial Solal is as memorable as the film itself, setting the mood with its moody jazz score.