Tavernier’s performing advocacy on behalf of a strand of French cinema largely thrown out of critical respectability by the polemicists of the New Wave.

| Jan 5, 2023

All told, there's nothing self-indulgent about this series as Tavernier rarely mentions his own films, other than 2002's Safe Conduct.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Jul 14, 2021

It's invaluable as a resource to French films.

| Original Score: A- | Aug 15, 2020

Bertrand Tavernier takes a deeply personal dive into the impact of French cinema on him and his films.

| Jul 17, 2020

I mention Tavernier's varied background at the outset because his intimacy with every aspect of movie production, distribution, and exhibition shines through each installment of Journeys Through French Cinema.

| May 22, 2020

... this Journey is so worth taking. It's far from over, as well.

| Dec 14, 2017

Simply as a wallow in black-and-white Gallic romanticism, it's a treat, but Tavernier also provides good stuff in his commentary.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 18, 2017

While Journey Through French Cinema is unable to cover every single decade, and Dod knows it tries, the film will ignite in those who love French cinema a new passion for its heroes and villains.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 15, 2017

It may be a long haul at over three hours, but Tavernier is charm personified as he serves up both a fine dish for cineastes and a tasty appetiser for the uninitiated.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 15, 2017

A treasure trove of expertly chosen clips, rare interviews and behind-the-scenes footage mean the daunting three-hour running time leaves you wanting more.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 15, 2017

This is essential viewing for cinephiles and Francophiles alike, but others may find the three-hour-plus running time a little excessive.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 14, 2017

The result is a film lover's feast: informative, enthralling and inspiring.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 11, 2017

Including clips from nearly 100 films made between the '30s and '70s, he pays heartfelt tribute to the directors, stars and composers who ignited his passion.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 11, 2017

This is Tavernier's own film story so don't expect a linear, full history of the cinema of the time. However, it's anything but dry, as the film swoons with passion for Gallic films and filmmaking.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 11, 2017

Mostly, there's Tavernier, a happy bear of a man. He's insightful, endlessly enthusiastic, all but encyclopedic in knowledge. He's also highly idiosyncratic. The first word in the title is "My," after all.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 7, 2017

For the film fanatic, though, Tavernier's work is a treasure trove of French cinema through the decades from the first Gallic features and into the 1970s.

| Original Score: A- | Sep 5, 2017

Even if you think you are well versed in French cinema, there will be surprises to be found here. In fact, some enterprising programmer should consider building a retrospective around this documentary.

| Original Score: A- | Sep 5, 2017

One of the documentaries that best explain the reasons why France was, is and will continue to be one of the countries whose film production will hardly go unnoticed in the future. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 31, 2017

Tavernier's vast knowledge is evident in every second of the 200-minute film, but it flies with ease and enthusiasm. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 29, 2017

A joy of three hours and ten minutes, more settled in the transfer of emotion than in historiography. [Full review in Spanish]

| Aug 22, 2017