The Best French Film Directors

French cinema is some of the most acclaimed and studied across the globe, and for good reason. Some of film’s greatest minds have blossomed from the republic, especially the New Wave movement that featured the most innovative and thought provoking movies of all time. Trying to reduce all of these great auteurs down to a list of ten was difficult, and this article only scratches the surface of the country’s great cinematic output, but hopefully if helps those new to French film a good starting point for discovering essential masterpieces.

10. Jean-Luc Godard

Godard was the face of the iconic New Wave, breaking boundaries and making the way for all experimental features to come. His prolific career spans over five decades and virtually every genre making him one of the fascinating and unique filmmakers of all time.

Greatest Works:

1. Contempt
2. Weekend
3. Breathless
4. Vivre sa Vie
5. Pierrot le Fou

9. Louis Malle

Louis Malle’s body of work spans decades, countries and countless genres. His period dramas are exceptional and his experimental cinema is iconic. Perhaps his most unique achievement are his candid documentaries.

Greatest Works:

1. Au Revoir les Enfants
2. Phantom India
3. My Dinner with Andre
4. Atlantic City
5. Elevator to the Gallows

8. Jacques Demy

Jacques Demy holds a unique spot as the greatest, if not only notable, creator of French musical film. With brilliant jazzy music by Michel Legrand, Demy visioned some of the most enjoyable and stylistically “French” films of all time.

Greatest Works:

1. The Young Girls of Rochefort
2. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
3. Donkey Skin
4. Bay of Angels
5. Lola

7. Eric Rohmer

A founding New Wave member, Rohmer made his fame with his “Moral Tales”, intimate films with complex characters and brilliant writing. While his movies are not the most visual striking, their impact is profound.

Greatest Works:

1. Claire’s Knee
2. My Night at Maud’s
3. La Collectionneuse
4. Chloe in the Afternoon
5. Pauline at the Beach

6. Jean-Pierre Melville

Often referred to as the precursor of the New Wave, Melville’s modernist crime thrillers were stark and fresh among the French cinematic landscape. His cool style influenced many great filmmakers worldwide.

Greatest Works:

1. Army of Shadows
2. Le Samourai
3. Le Cercle Rouge
4. Le Doulos
5. Magnet of Doom

5. Francois Truffaut

The counterpart to Godard in the New Wave, Truffaut took the relatively traditional route, starting in neo-realist fare and similarly branching out to genres of various type. His influence was also huge in the realm of film criticism.

Greatest Works:

1. The 400 Blows
2. Day for Night
3. Shoot the Piano Player
4. Jules et Jim
5. The Bride Wore Black

4. Jean Renoir

The son of a renowned painter, Jean Renoir eclipsed his namesake, developing into one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. His class conscious dramas were smart and insightful masterpieces that remain relevant today.

Greatest Works:

1. La Grande Illusion
2. The Rules of the Game
3. La Bete Humaine
4. Boudu Saved from Drowning
5. The Lower Depths

3. Henri-Georges Clouzot

Early French cinema before the New Wave may not be as famous as the films that came later but the films of Clouzot deserve equal distinction. His tantalizing thrillers influenced the likes of Hitchcock and are still hair-raising even in contemporary eyes.

Greatest Works:

1. The Wages of Fear
2. La Diaboliques
3. Le Corbeau
4. Quai des Orfevres
5. La Verite

2. Robert Bresson

Perhaps no other filmmaker has influenced the advancement of art cinema than Robert Bresson. His minimalist films encapsulate the power of the art of cinema, largely free from the power of music and other tricks, showing pure humanity.

Greatest Works:

1. Au Hasard Balthazar
2. Mouchette
3. A Man Escaped
4. Pickpocket
5. A Gentle Creature

1. Jacques Tati

Surprisingly, France’s most visually brilliant and subtle directors happens to be mimed-turned-auteur Jacques Tati. Starting out with more slapstick fare, Tati quickly evolved into a brilliant cinematic filmmaker mixing classic comedy with powerful themes.

Greatest Works:

1. Playtime
2. Mon Oncle
3. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday
4. Trafic
5. Jour de Fete

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