Lucy Mazdon Bücher

The book explores the transformation of French cinema as it is received in Britain, contrasting it with the original experience in France. Through extensive archival research, the authors analyze the discourses and decisions that shaped the integration of French films into British culture. They delve into the historical context from the Film Society's inception to the impact of video and DVD, offering insights into the distribution, exhibition, and reception of French cinema in Britain, while highlighting its significance in British film history.

In a market long dominated by Hollywood, French films are consistently the most widely distributed non-English language works. French cinema, however, appears to undergo a transformation as it reaches Britain, becoming something quite different to that experienced by audiences at home. Drawing on extensive archival research the authors examine in detail the discourses, debates and decisions which have determined the place accorded to French cinema in British film culture. In so doing they provide a fascinating account of this particular instance of transnational cinematic traffic while simultaneously shedding new light on British film history. From the early days of the Film Society, via the advent of the X certificate to the new possibilities of video and DVD, this book reveals the complex and detailed history of the distribution, exhibition, marketing and reception of French cinema in Britain.