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Vivre Sa Vie
Vivre sa vie: film en douze tableaux
1962 84 min France 18+
★7.9
Drama
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Trailers
Description
Twelve episodic tales in the life of a Parisian woman and her slow descent into prostitution.
Budget:
$64,000
US Gross:
$24,517
Worldwide:
$24,517
Starring
Anna Karina
Actor
Sady Rebbot
Actor
André S. Labarthe
Actor
Awards
Venice Film Festival 1962
— Special Jury Prize
Venice Film Festival 1962
— Pasinetti Award
Venice Film Festival 1962
— Golden Lion
Key opinion
Vivre sa vie is widely regarded as a pivotal masterpiece of the French New Wave that masterfully balances philosophical inquiry with the poignant personal journey of its protagonist. While critics debate the depth of the character's agency and the film's emotional accessibility, its innovative formal techniques and evocative portrait of 1960s Paris remain highly influential.
| Acting | Anna Karina's nuanced performance effectively captures the protagonist's transition from naive aspirations to existential disillusionment. | |
| Direction | The episodic, 12-tableau structure and unconventional camera work break traditional cinematic rules to mirror the heroine's fragmented perception. | |
| Cinematography | Raoul Coutard’s cinematography is praised for its immersive, voyeuristic style that challenges conventional framing by frequently obscuring characters' faces. | |
| Runtime | The 85-minute runtime is celebrated for its precision, ensuring that philosophical dialogues and mundane observations never feel superfluous. | |
| Theme | The film’s thematic depth invites divisive interpretations, with some viewing Nana as a tragic martyr of societal structures and others seeing her as fundamentally aimless or indifferent. | |
| Accessibility | The sparse, detached presentation and intellectual focus create a barrier for some, while others find the experience poetic and emotionally engaging. |