Auteur

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ɔːˈtɜː/, /əʊˈtɜː/

Origin

Borrowing from fr {{2}} auteur ("author"). Popularised by François Truffaut in the 1954 essay “Une certaine tendance du cinéma français” (“A certain tendency in French cinema”) in the influential film journal Cahiers du cinéma as the phrase “la politique des Auteurs”.

Full definition of auteur

Noun

1. A creative artist, especially a film director, seen as having a specific, recognisable artistic vision, and who is seen as the single or preeminent ‘author’ of his works.
• 1974, William Bender, "Call to vespers", Time, 11 Feb 1974:The libretto was a piece of hack work from a Parisian scenario factory run by an enterprising auteur of sorts named Eugene Scribe.
• 2003, "Broadway is bigger than ever", The Economist, 24 Apr 2003:Since Mr Luhrmann first tackled the opera, he has entered the select circle of celebrity directors on the basis of only three films, including “Moulin Rouge”. And his “La Bohème”—designed by Mrs Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, a double Oscar-winner for “Moulin Rouge”—is avowedly the work of an auteur.
• 2011, Jane Graham, The Guardian, 23 Jun 2011:If a widely respected auteur such as Martin Scorsese, Allen or Malick has given you the stamp of approval, you might not live fast or die young, but you'll leave a good-looking legacy.

Derived terms

• auteur theory

Related terms

• author