auteur theory

noun

: a view of filmmaking in which the director is considered the primary creative force in a movie

Examples of auteur theory in a Sentence

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A lot of very dumb things have been said about the auteur theory in recent years, all of which ignore its beautiful central tenet, which is that some filmmakers’ sensibilities shine through their work no matter the material. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 June 2024 Yet Kael’s real target was Village Voice film critic Andrew Sarris, her longtime rival who had staked his reputation on the auteur theory — the exaltation of the director über alles. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of auteur theory was in 1962

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“Auteur theory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auteur%20theory. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

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