Origins & Early Life

André Bazin (French: [bazɛ̃]; 18 April 1918 – 11 November 1958) was a renowned and influential French film critic and film theorist. He started to write about movies in 1943 and was a co-founder of the renowned film magazine Cahiers du cinéma in 1951 alongside Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca. He is notable for arguing that realism is the most important function of cinema. His call for objective reality in film, as understood through the use of deep focus as well as the lack of montage, were linked to his belief that the interpretation of an entire movie or a specific scene should be left to the spectator.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

This placed him in opposition to prior film theorists, such as many writing during the 1920s and 1930s, who had emphasized how the cinema could manipulate reality. Bazin insisted that movies morally should serve as personalized projects by their directors to the degree that each and every one represents a director's individual vision, which reflected his broader psychological and philosophical beliefs about culture and the arts. Although his death at forty, occurring as his writing career gained momentum, kept him from witnessing the seminal works in the French New...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Hamid II — Contemporary (Died in 1918) (1918): Last effective Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, navigating decline and constitutional upheaval.
• Abraham Pais — Contemporary (Born in 1918) (1918): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Adolfo Pedernera — Contemporary (Born in 1918) (1918): Argentine football legend, nicknamed 'El Maestro,' pivotal in the 1940s.
• Alec Baldwin — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actor known for dramatic depth and comedic timing.
• Andie MacDowell — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Acclaimed American actress and model known for romantic and dramatic roles.
• Andre Geim — Contemporary (Born in 1958) (1958): Pioneering physicist known for groundbreaking work on graphene and Nobel laureate.
• Albert Einstein — Shared historical date (04-18 · Died) (1955): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for the theory of relativity and E=mc2.
• Alexandre Alexeieff — Shared historical date (04-18 · Born) (1901): Russian-born artist, filmmaker, and illustrator known for inventing the pinscreen technique.
• Alexander Calder — Shared historical date (11-11 · Died) (1976): Pioneering American sculptor celebrated for kinetic mobiles and monumental abstract forms.
• Alfredo Reinado — Shared historical date (11-11 · Born) (1968): East Timorese military commander and rebel leader during the 2006 crisis.
• 1918 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1918
• April 18 (04-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 18
• 1958 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1958
• November 11 (11-11) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 11