Coming to terms with Robert Bresson

Coming to terms with Robert Bresson sheds new light on the films, life and influence of one of the major filmmakers of the twentieth century. The book reveals a unique and fiercely committed filmmaker, a shrewd cultural entrepreneur and a philosophical and political radical, sensitive to the marginalised and to ecological threats. ‘An essential overview of the most singular artist in film history.’ —Paul Schrader, filmmaker 'The depth and breadth of this book is astonishing.' —Ross Clarke, filmmaker and educator‘If the status of Robert Bresson as an essential classic of cinema needs updating every decade... this rich and wide-ranging collection should serve very well for the foreseeable future.’ —Ian Christie, Fellow of the British Academy Coming to terms with Robert Bresson is an essential introduction to the films, life, thought and continuing influence of Robert Bresson, one of the major filmmakers of the twentieth century. With contributions from film historians, philosophers, biblical and literary scholars, critics, filmmakers and creative practitioners from other disciplines, the book paints a multifaceted portrait of the director of films such as Diary of a Country Priest, A Man Escaped, Pickpocket, Mouchette, Au hasard Balthazar, Lancelot du Lac and L’Argent. Coming to terms also includes chapters on Bresson’s hitherto unknown early years, his long-lost and still little-known first film Affaires publiques, his long-cherished but ultimately unmade ‘Genesis’, as well as Notes on the Cinematograph, Bresson’s hugely influential guiding principles as a filmmaker. Across half a century, and working with non-professional actors and limited resources, Bresson produced an incomparable body of work that continues to inspire and influence contemporary filmmakers and other creative practitioners. In Coming to terms, Robert Bresson emerges as a fiercely committed, theoretically informed and utterly unique filmmaker, a shrewd cultural entrepreneur and a prescient philosophical and political radical, sensitive to the marginalised, to ecological threats and to the ravages of capitalism. Coming to terms with Robert Bresson introduces the life and work of the French film director through contributions from leading scholars, filmmakers and contemporary artists. Drawing on original historical, theoretical and filmmaking research, the book offers a multi-layered account of Bresson’s artistic development and working methods. It examines how his films shaped and were shaped by wider philosophical, political and aesthetic debates, and how his distinctive approach to performance, cinematography and form continues to influence contemporary filmmakers and artists. Emphasising Bresson’s determination, complexity and unique position in twentieth-century cinema, the book situates his work within broader histories of French film and creative practice. It also considers his continuing impact on mainstream and radical filmmaking, revealing an artist whose sensibilities remain central to debates about film style, authorship and cinematic innovation.