Auteur theory holds that a director's film reflects their personal creative vision. It originated in 1950s France with critics arguing that some directors' styles were distinct enough to shine through studio interference and the filmmaking process. In the 1960s, American critic Andrew Sarris popularized auteur theory as a way to analyze films and define serious artistic works through studying respected director's films. However, auteur theory was later criticized for overlooking the collaborative nature of filmmaking.

1. Auteur Theory:
• 'Auteur' is the French word for 'author'.
• In film criticism, auteur theory holds that a director's reflects
the director's personal creative vision.
• Sometimes the auteur's creative voice can be distinct enough to
shine through even with all of the studio interference and through
the group process of making a film.
• In law, the auteur is the one who originally holds the copyright, as
they are the creator of the film.
• As a result of the auteur theory, under European
law, the director is considered the author or one
of the authors in a film.
• Since 1954, auteur theory has influenced
film criticism, when it was advocated by film
director and critic, Francois Truffaut.
• This method of film analysis was originally
associated with French New Wave.

2. Auteur Theory:
• In America, a few years later, Andrew
Sarris, developed auteur theory through
the writings of ‘The Village Voice’
• He used the theory as a way to further
analysis of what defines serious work
through the study of respected
writers/directors.
Origins:
• The term „Auteur Theory‟ originated from Andrews Sarris‟s essay
‘Notes on the Auteur Theory’ in 1962.
• Auteur theory draws on the work of cinema enthusiasts who wrote
„Cahiers du Cinema‟ and argued that a directors vision should be
reflected in their films.
• Absolute Auteurs:
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Akira Kurosawa
- Jean Renoir
• Alexandre Astruc‟s concept of the „caméra-stylo‟ (camera pen)
promotes directors to wield cameras as writers use pens and to guard
against the obstacles of traditional storytelling.

3. Origins:
• Truffaut expressed that directors should use the mise-en-scène to
imprint their vision on their work.
• Andre Bazin and Roger Leenhardt also expressed that the director
brings the film to life and uses it to express their feelings on the
subject matter.
• An auteur can also use lighting, setting, staging, and editing to
add to their vision.
• According to Andrew Sarris in his ‘Notes on the Auteur Theory’, a
director must accomplish technical competence in their technique,
personal style in terms of how the movie looks and feels, and
interior meaning.
Criticism:
• Starting in the 1960s film critics began to
criticise the auteur theory‟s focus on the authorial
role of the director.
• One reason for this is the collaborative aspect of
film making.
• Aljean Harmetz argued that the auteur theory
“collapses against the reality of the studio system”.
• The New Critics argued that speculation about an
author’s intention was secondary to the words on the
page as the basis of the experience of reading
literature.