Auteur Theory

Auteur Theory is literally the French word for “author.” In film criticism, used in the terms auteurism or auteur theory, denoting a critical theory (originally known as la politique des auteurs or “the policy of authors”).

Popular in France in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Francois Truffaut introduced Auteur Theory along with editors (including legendary film critic and theorist Andre Bazin) of the celebrated French film journal Cahiers du Cinéma (literally ‘cinema notebooks’), arguably the most influential film magazine in film history.

Their ideas subsequently grew in the 1960s by American critic Andrew Sarris, among others. The theory ascribed overall responsibility for the creation of a film and its personal vision, identifiable style, thematic aspects, and techniques to its filmmaker or director, rather than to the collaborative efforts of all involved (actors, producer, production designer, special effects supervisor, etc).

The theory posited that we consider directors the ‘true’ authors of film (rather than the screenwriters). This is because they exercise a great deal of control over all facets of filmmaking and impart a distinctive, personal style to their films. Simply stated, an auteur can refer to a director with a recognizable or signature style.