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The History of French Cinema: 1960

6/1 -

Luis Buñuel’s Franco-Mexican co-production La Fièvre monte à El Pao (Republic of Sin), is released less than a month after the untimely death of its star, Gérard Philipe.   Maria Félix also stars. [ADD]

18/2 -

The Testament of Orpheus, Jean Cocteau’s first film in 10 years, is released. [ADD]

21/2 -

Director Jacques Becker dies at the age of 54 shortly after completing Le Trou (The Hole). [ADD]

2/3 -

Georges Franju’s Yeux san visage (Eyes Without a Face) is released.   Alida Valli and Pierre Brasseur star. [ADD]

10/3 -

René Clément’s Plein soleil (Purple Noon), an adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith novel which introduces filmgoers to the character of Tom Ripley, is released.   Written by Paul Gégauff and filmed by Henri Decaë, the film stars Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet and Marie Laforét. [ADD]

16/3 -

Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature film À bout de souffle (Breathless) premieres in Paris.   Dedicated to the Hollywood poverty row studio Monogram Pictures, it tells the story of a car thief (Jean-Paul Belmondo) on the run after killing a policeman who travels to Paris to find his American girlfriend (Jean Seberg). [ADD]

18/3 -

Le Trou (The Hole), Jacques Becker’s final film, is released.   Based on the novel by José Giovanni, it uses non-professional actors to tell the tale of a prison escape through the sewers of Paris. [ADD]

1/5 -

Brigitte Bardot begins filming Henri-Georges Clouzot’s La Verité (The Truth) with Sami Frey. [ADD]

20/5 -

Michelangelo Antonioni’s L'Avventura wins the Special Jury Prize for "its remarkable contribution to the search for a new cinematographic language" at this year’s Cannes Film Festival despite receiving a hostile reception at its screening. [ADD]

25/5 -

Peter Brook's Moderato cantabile (Seven Days... Seven Nights) is released.   Its star, Jean-Paul Belmondo receives criticism after crashing the car in which he was driving Jeanne Moreau's 10-year-old son Jerôme, seriously injuring the child. [ADD]

10/6 -

Philippe Agostini's screen adaptation of Georges Bernanos’ novel Le Dialogue des Carmélites (The Carmelites) is released.   Jeanne Moreau, Alida Valli, Madeleine Renaud and Pierre Brasseur star. [ADD]

Jun -

The government signs an agreement with the Motion Picture Export Association of America (MPEA) to relax the restriction on the number of US films allowed into France, retrospective to July 1959. [ADD]

1/9 -

Cahiers du cinema devotes a special issue to British director Joseph Losey. [ADD]

28/10 -

Louis Malle’s surreal comedy Zazie dans le metro is released.   The film stars Catherine Demongeot and Philippe Noiret. [ADD]

– The International Animated Film Association is founded in Annecy. [ADD]

– Jean-Luc Godard’s second film, Le Petit Soldat (The Little Soldier) is banned by the French censors. [ADD]

Other Key French Films of 1960

L’Eau a la bouche (A Game for Six Lovers) (Jacques Doniol-Valcroze) [MORE] [ADD]

Les Jeux de l’amour (The Games of Love) (Philippe de Broca) [MORE] [ADD]

Paris nous appartient (Paris Belongs to Us) (Jacques Rivette) [MORE] [ADD]

La Proie pour l’ombre (Prey for the Shadows) (Alexandre Astruc) [MORE] [ADD]

Tirez sur le pianiste (Shoot the Pianist) (Francois Truffaut)  [MORE] [ADD]

The History of Cinema: 1960