Guillaume Marbeck and director Richard Linklater on the set of 'Nouvelle Vague.' JEAN-LOUIS FERNANDEZ/ARP SÉLECTION
As much a master technician as an astute observer of human nature, Richard Linklater's deep love of cinema is matched by a vibrant passion for French culture. He has a unique way of filming group scenes, the passage of time and the twists of fate. All these qualities come together in his new feature, Nouvelle Vague, which explores the origins of Jean-Luc Godard's À Bout de Souffle (Breathless, 1960). During a visit to Paris, the 65-year-old filmmaker took the opportunity to talk about his hometown of Austin, Texas, a haven for alternative culture that is now becoming a libertarian stronghold.
Is Nouvelle Vague a film about ghosts?
In a way, yes. With my co-screenwriters Vince and Holly [Palmo], we figured it out 13 years ago. How to create a space where all these people were back together, creating this little bubble of belief. When we were making it, everyone was watching like they were ghosts being brought back to life. They were real people [notably Nouvelle Vague figures Éric Rohmer, Agnès Varda, Jacques Rivette and Roberto Rossellini]. For me, the film is like a seance. It's like they were all back together and they were happy.
