French Literature Reviews - 2026
The Essay Film and Cinema
Art and Visual Culture
L'ESSAI ET LE CINEMA,
edited by Suzanne Liandrat-Guigues and Murielle Gagnebin,
Ed. Champ Vallon, Coll. "L'Or d'Atalante", May 2004, 22 euros.
Contributions by: Diane Arnaud, Christa Blümlinger, Fabienne Costa, Didier Coureau, Christophe Deshoulières, Jean Durançon, Guy Fihman, Murielle Gagnebin, Jean-Louis Leutrat, Denis Lévy, Suzanne Liandrat-Guigues, Alain Ménil, Claire Mercier, José Moure, Cyril Neyrat, Sylvie Rollet.
"When applied to cinema, what happens to the notion of the essay, which holds an established place in philosophy and literature? We find that the term is claimed both by filmmakers themselves and by critics. But do they both view it in the same way? In fact, the cinematic essay can take on multiple meanings, which are examined in turn across the chapters of this volume.
The first section gathers texts dealing with the historical emergence of the term, while the second attempts to describe certain psychic mechanisms of creation specific to this genre. Bordering on narrative and experimental film, and frequently intersecting with documentary or self-portraiture, the essay brings together prestigious names, from Resnais to Godard, Pollet to Marker, Welles to Fellini, and Antonioni to Moretti or Monteiro. The third part of the book is consequently devoted to the analysis of individual films or film sequences. Each of these studies offers a journey through the most inventive fringes of the Seventh Art. Ultimately, is not every formal proposition by a true creator an essay in its own right? The fourth part questions the essay film when it seeks to redefine cinema itself. The book concludes with a diptych-style epilogue based on the works of several theorists, notably Kracauer and Deleuze."
The cinematic essay occupies a distinctive space within film history, bridging the boundaries between traditional narrative cinema, documentary, and experimental art. As a medium where filmmakers engage directly with critical, philosophical, and personal reflections, the essay film has frequently drawn the attention of both practitioners and theorists. Scholars in film studies often examine how visual works can adopt the speculative, questioning nature historically associated with the written essay in literature and philosophy.
Readers interested in the intersections between film theory, aesthetics, and the history of modern cinema may find L'Essai et le cinéma relevant. Edited by Suzanne Liandrat-Guigues and Murielle Gagnebin, the volume examines the historical emergence of the cinematic essay, the psychological mechanisms behind its creation, and the ways specific directors engage with its formal possibilities. Through close readings of individual films and engagement with major theorists such as Kracauer and Deleuze, the contributions discuss how audiovisual works can question and redefine the medium of cinema itself.