Claude Chabrol : my first movie

For this first edition, we have chosen the debut film of Claude Chabrol, an internationally recognized European director and one of the founding fathers of the Nouvelle Vague. His career is well-known for its richness and diversity. The director has given us his approval and access to his first film, Le beau Serge. The context of shooting this first film in 1958 is fascinating for many reasons—1958, the year of De Gaulle’s return!

A landmark film of the Nouvelle Vague, both aesthetically and in terms of production, Le beau Serge was entirely filmed in Sardent, in the Creuse, Chabrol’s hometown where he has the family house. Unusually, the film’s sets remain unchanged: the village is practically intact, the café where Brialy plays many scenes looks exactly the same, and Bernadette Lafont’s house has not changed. Thus, Sardent has unwittingly become a symbol of cinema history, the mythical place where a native son produced and directed, with the help of the locals, the first feature film of what would later become the Nouvelle Vague.

This documentary aims to explore the creative dynamics that allowed a group of young film enthusiasts to produce their films while challenging cinematic tradition. It is a story of encounters, friendships, and talents that have influenced cinema and television for the past 40 years.