Godard wrote a lengthy editorial criticising Minister of Culture André Malraux . Shortly afterwards , Malraux publicly defended '' The Nun '' , allowing it to premiere at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival , where it was not subject to censorship . At Cannes the film was critically praised , and Beauregard later successfully sued the censorship board . French President Charles de Gaulle called the controversy " silly " , and ordered newly appointed Minister of Information Georges Gorce to lift the ban . '' The Nun '' was finally released on 26 July 1967 , with the publicity helping make it Rivette 's only hit film to that point . Although it received many good reviews , Guy Daussois of '' Le Populaire '' said that it was " marked by a schematisation and over-simplicity that is rarely encountered , with absolutely no human depth "
1966 Cannes Film Festival
1966 Cannes Film Festival
Jacques Rivette