The last several years has seen the revival of the art film, including Kaurismaki’s Fallen Leaves,
Wenders’ A Perfect Day, Glazer’s Zone of Interest, Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, Hong Sang-soo’s
A Traveler’s Needs, to name a few. The resurgence of the art film is significant because it
recognizes the value of cinema to speak to social life in a present moment, with all its
complexities and contradictions. Questions and ideas are raised, often without resolution.

The art film evidences an awareness of aesthetics and a history that precedes it. It may have a
very specific point of view, perhaps a distinct authorial voice, but invites a conversation with an
engaged viewer.

We’ve stretched the parameters of the art film for this issue to include independent film that
similarly speaks to the contemporary world which it examines. As directors like Godard and
Truffaut understood and acknowledged, the art film appears in classical Hollywood as well, in
the work of Sternberg, 50’s Hitchcock, Lang, Ophuls, Welles, Preminger and others.
This issue is devoted to an appreciation of the art film and its continuing influences on the
cinema.