Jacques Rivette

Jacques Rivette was one of the central figures in the French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague) movement. Along with Jean-Luc Godard, Rivette was considered the most experimental director of the movement, which his work exemplified. Like many other contemporaries, Rivette had a background in film theory, and he was also a film critic. His work involved a complex interweaving of documentary, fiction, and improvisation. His stories progressed in unconventional ways, and were often quite long. As a result, his work has seldom been shown. Rivette’s film career has spanned seven decades, from Aux Quatre Coins in 1949 to the romantic comedy Va Savoir in 2001. —allmovie guide