My Journey Through French Cinema

Bertrand Tavernier's Personal Essay on his Native Cinema

Writer-director Bertrand Tavernier is truly one of the grand auteurs of the movies. His experience is vast, his knowledge is voluminous, his love is inexhaustable and his perspective is matched only by that of Martin Scorsese. This magnificent, epic documentary has been a lifetime in the making.

Tavernier knows his native cinema inside and out, from the giants like Renoir, Godard, and Melville (for whom he has worked as an assistant) to now overlooked and forgotten figures like Edmund T. Greville and Guy Gilles, and his observations and reminiscences are never less than penetrating and always deeply personal.

Nominated for the Golden Eye at the Cannes Film Festival. Nominated for Best Documentary Film at the Cesar Awards.

"It would be a shame if the film were to be seen only by those already interested in French cinema. Anyone with an eye for grace, industry, resilience, rich shadows, and strong cigarettes should go along." - Anthony Lane, New Yorker