Pierre Braunberger: A Man Makes Film History

Meet visionary producer and director Pierre Braunberger in this 1983 documentary by filmmakers Friedrich von Thun and Erwin Leiser, who present the life and career of the man whose work shaped the history of French arthouse cinema.

Braunberger is often credited with discovering the biggest names in New Wave film, from Jean-Pierre Melville and François Truffaut to Jean-Luc Godard and Alain Resnais. Emerging in late 1950s France and propelled by a young generation of maverick filmmakers, the New Wave movement broke free from the constraints of traditional cinema, giving rise to the film d’auteur style in which films reflect their directors’ artistic personality. In this exclusive interview featuring excerpts from his greatest works, the late Pierre Braunberger looks back on his career highlights and recounts personal anecdotes from his time in the director’s chair. Uncover the stories and secrets behind some of the most iconic masterpieces of 20th-century French cinema, as told by Braunberger himself!