Project Title
Godard’s A Bout De Soufflé: Existential Nihilism and the Performance of Reality
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
Jennifer Flaherty
Abstract
Godard’s A Bout De Soufflé: Existential Nihilism and the Performance of Reality The era of French new wave pushed the boundaries of counterculture, setting a precedent for purposefully low quality frames and shaky camera shots. This open approach to directing allows film to become an enhanced viewing in which the audience experiences the film in unison with the characters, exposing the gritty reality of life. Jean-Luc Godard’s film A Bout De Soufflé or also known as Breathless, is at the the center of the French New Wave movement. The hyper realism within the film highlights Godard’s message of existentialism and nihilism in a post second industrial world. For my paper I intend to analyze the protagonist, Michel’s, relationship with his own identity in conjunction with his projection of a Nietzschean worldview. Through applying a deconstructionist theoretical approach, I will illuminate the disconnection between true meaning and performance. Keywords: Deconstruction, Nihilism, Nietzsche, Breathless, Performance, French New Wave
Godard’s A Bout De Soufflé: Existential Nihilism and the Performance of Reality
Godard’s A Bout De Soufflé: Existential Nihilism and the Performance of Reality The era of French new wave pushed the boundaries of counterculture, setting a precedent for purposefully low quality frames and shaky camera shots. This open approach to directing allows film to become an enhanced viewing in which the audience experiences the film in unison with the characters, exposing the gritty reality of life. Jean-Luc Godard’s film A Bout De Soufflé or also known as Breathless, is at the the center of the French New Wave movement. The hyper realism within the film highlights Godard’s message of existentialism and nihilism in a post second industrial world. For my paper I intend to analyze the protagonist, Michel’s, relationship with his own identity in conjunction with his projection of a Nietzschean worldview. Through applying a deconstructionist theoretical approach, I will illuminate the disconnection between true meaning and performance. Keywords: Deconstruction, Nihilism, Nietzsche, Breathless, Performance, French New Wave