Watch Un film comme les autres

Un film comme les autres (A Film Like Any Other) is a 1968 French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The film, which is shot in black and white, was released during the height of the May 1968 protests in France, and features footage of these events. The film is perhaps most notable for its structure, which eschews traditional narrative in favor of a series of vignettes that examine various aspects of French society. The film begins with a title card that reads "This is not a film", and goes on to feature discussions of labor rights, capitalism, and revolutionary politics.

The film is structured around a group of workers who are discussing their grievances with their boss. The workers express their frustration with their low wages and the conditions of their work, and the film then shifts to a series of vignettes that explore various related issues.

One of the most striking sequences in the film is a lengthy discussion of the nature of capitalism, featuring a voiceover by Godard. The camera lingers on images of workers in factories and on the streets, juxtaposed with images of consumer goods and advertising. This sequence is notable for its use of split screens and its innovative editing.

Throughout the film, Godard employs a variety of techniques that were considered radical at the time. This includes the use of jump cuts in dialogue scenes, which gives the film a disjointed, dreamlike quality. The film also features a number of long takes, including a ten-minute sequence in which the camera simply observes workers entering and leaving a factory.

The film's political message is clear: it is a critique of the capitalist system and a call to arms for workers to rise up against their bosses. However, Godard is also highly critical of the traditional left, which he sees as being out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people.

Un film comme les autres is a highly intellectual film that is steeped in Marxist theory. However, it also acknowledges the role of emotion and intuition in political struggle. The film's title, which suggests that it is "like any other film", is meant ironically; there is nothing else quite like it.

The film's aesthetics are highly distinctive. The black and white cinematography is stark and gritty, underscoring the film's political themes. The score, which features music by the band Les Enfants Terribles, is avant-garde and experimental.

At times, Un film comme les autres can be challenging to watch. The film's non-linear structure and discursive style can make it feel disjointed and difficult to follow. But this is precisely the point. The film is intended to provoke and challenge its audience, and to inspire them to action.

Un film comme les autres was released at a time of political turmoil in France, and it reflects this in its content, style, and structure. Today, it is considered a classic of French New Wave cinema, and is regarded as one of Godard's most important works. Its message of political resistance and call to action remains as relevant today as it did over fifty years ago.