Global Cinema In The 1950s & 1960s

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers major world events, key filmmakers, and significant cinematic movements in Global Cinema during the 1950s and 1960s.

Sputnik (1957)

The first satellite to orbit Earth, launched by the Soviet Union.

Charles de Gaulle

The president of France elected in 1958 who favored allowing former colonies to gain independence.

The Concorde

The world’s first supersonic passenger jet, which made its maiden flight in 1969.

Pather Panchali (1955)

The debut film of Satyajit Ray adapted from an autobiographical novel, shot in a local Bengali village with minimal resources.

Ritwik Ghatak

A gifted Indian filmmaker known for Nagarik (1952) and Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), whose career was affected by alcoholism.

Rashomon (1950)

An Akira Kurosawa film that broke into Western consciousness and demonstrated the value of new national cinemas to global audiences.

Akira Kurosawa

A Japanese filmmaker renowned for his epic scope and innovative techniques like long takes and deep focus.

Yasujiro Ozu

A Japanese director famous for a minimalist style and domestic dramas such as Tokyo Story (1953).

Kenji Mizoguchi

A Japanese filmmaker who explored the lives of women and directed Tales of Ugetsu (1953), a ghost story about war.

Ingmar Bergman

A Swedish filmmaker whose work featured existentialism, psychology, and complex characters influenced by a strict Lutheran upbringing.

The Seventh Seal (1957)

A notable film by Ingmar Bergman that explored themes of morality and belief in God.

Federico Fellini

Italy’s most visible director post-World War II who transitioned from writing radio scripts to directing films like La Dolce Vita.

The Young and the Passionate (1953)

A semi-autobiographical hit by Federico Fellini about small-town loafers, later remade as American Graffiti by George Lucas.

Italian Neorealism

A movement that declined in the 1950s as the Italian economy recovered and audiences shifted preference toward Hollywood films.

New Wave

A term first used in L’Express in 1957 to describe French youth, which became a significant film movement by 1960.

Jean-Luc Godard

A French New Wave filmmaker who abandoned traditional Hollywood syntax for political cinema and is known for the film Breathless (1960).

Auteur Theory

A filmmaking approach associated with Jean-Luc Godard that emphasizes the director's creative vision.

The 400 Blows (1959)

François Truffaut’s semi-autobiographical first feature film depicting his childhood experiences.

François Truffaut

The most commercially successful French New Wave director, known for blending experimental and classical techniques.

Cinematic Grammar of the New Wave

A style utilizing handheld cinematography, location shooting, and editorial structures like freeze-frames and rapid intercutting.