The Evolving Role of Film Critics

The history of film criticism dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when journalists and writers began writing about "moving pictures." These early writings were more in the nature of reports, but they gradually evolved into a serious, academic discipline with the emergence of critics like André Bazin and François Truffaut in France. This new wave of criticism, known as "auteur theory," held the belief that the director, as the primary author of the film, bears full responsibility for the work and that their personal style and vision should be reflected in it. This approach had a profound impact on our understanding of cinema.