A Masterpiece of Blazing Visuals and Sound

Godard became the darling of the Nouvelle Vague with his innovative style, including improvisational direction and bold editing, in his first feature film, "Breathless" (1959). He went on to release ambitious works such as "Pierrot le Fou" (1965) and "La Chinoise" (1967), establishing himself as one of France's leading filmmakers. "Godard Socialism," rumored to be Godard's final feature film, was screened as an invited film at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. It overwhelmed audiences with its poetic dialogue, featuring a rapid-fire succession of stunning visuals and sound, and quoting various aphorisms.

"Godard Socialism" is structured as a symphony in three movements.
The first movement, "These Things," set aboard the luxurious cruise ship Golden Web sailing the Mediterranean, unfolds at a brisk pace with multiple storylines centered around a mystery involving gold lost in the Spanish Civil War.
The second movement, "Where Are You Going, Europe?" proceeds at a more leisurely tempo, starring a family of four and their animals in the French countryside. The third movement, "We the Humanity," visits six locations that built human history: Egypt, Palestine, Odessa, Greece, Naples, and Barcelona.
The ship's route overlaps with the one taken by the Golden Web in the first movement, and the symphony concludes with the third chapter.

This film is filled with aphorisms and epigrams, interspersed with Godard's signature quotations. While quotations were familiar from Godard's early work, this film takes it to an extreme, with almost all dialogue consisting of quotations, creating a precarious balance. The film even goes so far as to list the sources of its quotations in the credits, a testament to the challenge of creating new art within the constraints of citation. The appearance of rock singer Patti Smith is also one of the highlights.

Godard also challenged himself by attempting to shoot an entire film in HD Cam for the first time. Furthermore, he himself created a trailer, shown at high speed and lasting about 90 seconds, for the 1 hour and 42 minute feature film, releasing it on YouTube and generating buzz. "Godard Socialism," hailed as a culmination of Godard's work, is a film that offers a glimpse into a new facet of the master who has been at the forefront of cinema.
Opening Saturday, December 18th, at TOHO Cinemas Chanter in Hibiya and other theaters nationwide.

"Godard Socialism"
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Distribution: France Eigasha
Tel. 03-3545-3411