Forty years after François Truffaut’s passing, French television pays tribute to the legendary filmmaker with a special broadcast of his iconic films, including The 400 Blows, alongside the premiere of David Teboul’s intimate documentary, François Truffaut, The Script of My Life.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of François Truffaut's passing, French television is paying a heartfelt tribute to this iconic figure of the New Wave by airing his classics, such as The 400 Blows, alongside a new, poignant documentary.
Titled François Truffaut, The Script of My Life, the film premiered in May at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, in the Cannes Classics section, which showcases restored films and documentaries. Directed by David Teboul, known for his work on figures like Brigitte Bardot and Sigmund Freud, the 1-hour-37-minute documentary will be broadcast this Friday on France 5. It explores the theme of paternal figures in Truffaut's life: his biological father, whom he long sought; his spiritual father, André Bazin, a key figure of Cahiers du Cinéma; and the father he became himself.
Serge Toubiana, film critic and Truffaut’s biographer, played a crucial role in the project, facilitating access to the filmmaker's family and valuable archives. In the months leading up to his death on October 21, 1984, at the age of 52, Truffaut expressed to his friend Claude de Givray a desire to reflect on his tumultuous family history. However, his illness prevented him from completing this autobiographical work, which the documentary now poignantly concludes.
Enriched with letters read by renowned actors such as Isabelle Huppert and Pascal Greggory, as well as previously unseen interviews, the film reveals the violence and complexity of familial relationships. Particularly striking are the letters between Truffaut, his mother, and the man who raised him but was not his biological father. These letters expose childhood wounds, especially as Truffaut recalls painful memories, such as lonely Christmases and his parents’ discussions about his future, shedding light on an upbringing marked by abandonment. These experiences deeply influenced his cinematic work, particularly in The 400 Blows.
As a successful director, Truffaut even hired a private detective to locate his biological father. In the course of this search, he discovered that his father was Jewish, a fact his mother, from an anti-Semitic family, had tried to conceal. This complex situation fueled her lasting resentment, which shaped their relationship.
The film concludes with a touching letter written by Truffaut to his two daughters from the United States, where he had been hired to work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind with Steven Spielberg. This letter, filled with warmth, tenderness, and humor, stands in stark contrast to the difficult childhood he endured.
Following François Truffaut, The Script of My Life, France 5 will also air The 400 Blows the same evening, widely considered his masterpiece. The tribute to Truffaut began earlier in the week on Arte with the broadcast of Stolen Kisses, another emblematic work, followed by a new documentary on his favorite actor, Jean-Pierre Léaud, titled The Cinema of Jean-Pierre Léaud, directed by Cyril Leuthy.
With AFP
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