French cinema Opposing the established pre-war French cinema (known as Tradition de la Qualité ["tradition of quality"]) by offering his own personal responses to the question "what is cinema?", and by formulating his ascetic style, Bresson gained a high reputation with the founders of the French New Wave. He is often listed (along with Alexandre Astruc and André Bazin) as one of the main figures who influenced them. New Wave pioneers praised Bresson and posited him as a prototype for or precursor to the movement. However, Bresson was neither as overtly experimental nor as outwardly political as the New Wave filmmakers, and his religious views (Catholicism and Jansenism) were not attractive to most of the filmmakers associated with the movement.
french cinema opposing the established pre-war french cinema (known as tradition de la qualité ["tradition of quality"]) by offering his own personal responses to the question "what is cinema" and by formulating his ascetic style bresson gained a high reputation with the founders of the french new wave he is often listed (along with alexandre astruc and andré bazin) as one of the main figures who influenced them new wave pioneers praised bresson and posited him as a prototype for or precursor to the movement however bresson was neither as overtly experimental nor as outwardly political as the new wave filmmakers and his religious views (catholicism and jansenism) were not attractive to most of the filmmakers associated with the movement