In France during the late 1940’s, there arose a group of film critics, theorists and eventual directors, who created a magazine known as Cahiers du Cinéma, full of essays regarding the Auteur Theory. Alexander Astruc describes an Auteur as an artist with the camera as their pen, the concept of the “caméra-stylo” means that the Director is “author” of the film, using their power to control the different elements of the film- like mise-en-scene, blocking and lighting. They encourage the idea that director’s should each have unique styles and techniques, that can be recognised after the film’s release.
Some people credited as Auteur’s by the Cahiers du Cinéma-
Alfred Hitchcock- Psycho (1960)
Robert Aldrich- Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Howard Hawks- The Big Sleep (1946)
Classic French New Wave Films-
Hiroshima Mon Amour- (Resnais, 1959)
Cleo From 5 to 7- (Varda, 1962)