Deborah Walker

Deborah is an Associate Professor of French at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland, specializing in cinema and translation. Her research spans French, New Zealand, and Māori cinema, with a growing focus on Indigenous film. She has subtitled Māori and NZ films, translated a Māori novel into French, and co-directed a documentary on Kanak writer Déwé Gorodey. Since 2018, she has co-directed the Wairoa Māori Film Festival, curating and translating Māori short films for international festivals.

Pierre Pillet

French cinema enthusiast and language teacher, Pierre Pillet has a passion for exploring how film reflects and questions our humanity. Through the lens of powerful storytelling, he guides audiences in uncovering the ethical dilemmas, emotional landscapes, and social contexts that define iconic French films. His insightful approach invites us to examine our own moral compass, confront uncomfortable truths, and appreciate the enduring force of memory, empathy, and resilience. In times of global uncertainty, cinema becomes more than art — it becomes a mirror and a call to reflection.

Jean Luc Godard(1930–2022) was a pioneering French-Swiss filmmaker and one of the central figures of the Nouvelle Vague. Renowned for his bold experimentation and uncompromising artistic vision, Godard challenged traditional storytelling through inventive editing, playful narration, and constant reimagining of cinema's possibilities. 

Known for landmark films such as À bout de souffle (1960) and Le Mépris (1963), he blended intellectual depth with visual innovation, creating works that questioned society, art, and the medium itslef. His influence remains profound, as he opened new paths for modern filmmaking and expanded the expressive language of cinema. 

1st session : Tuesday 3rd February

À bout de souffle 
A bold and innovative French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard that captures the restlessness of youth, the allure of freedom, and the fragility of love. Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, this New Wave classic has become one of the defining works of modern cinema. 

Synopsis: Michel, a small-time criminal on the run after killing a police officer, drifts through Paris in search of escape and meaning. He reconnects with Patricia, an American journalism student, hoping to convince her to flee with him. As the police close in, their relationship wavers between charm, uncertainty, and betrayal. Through their intense, unpredictable days together, the film reveals a portrait of two lovers caught between desire, danger, and the impossible quest for a life without consequences. 

Session info:

📅 Tuesday 3rd February
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Alliance Française Auckland
🎬 French film with English subtitles

🎟️ Tickets:

• AF Members: $5
• Non-Members: $10

Bookings available here

2nd session : Tuesday 3rd March

The 400 Blows (Les Quatre Cents Coups)

A deeply moving and influential film of the French New Wave, directed by François Truffaut. Featuring the unforgettable debut of Jean-Pierre Léaud, the film blends realism and emotional intimacy to explore childhood, alienation, and the longing for freedom. It remains one of the most personal and enduring works in modern cinema. 

Synopsis: 
Antoine Doinel is a misunderstood Parisian boy struggling with neglect at home and harsh discipline at school. As he drifts further into rebellion through truancy and petty crime, hi search for escape leads him into increasingly serious trouble. Following Antoine's quiet suffering and restless energy, The 400 Blows offers a poignant portrait of a child caught between innocence and disillusionment, culminating in a final image that has become one of the most iconic moments in film history. 

Session info:

📅 Tuesday, 3rd March
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Alliance Française Auckland
🎬 French film with English subtitles

🎟️ Tickets:

• AF Members: $5
• Non-Members: $10

3rd session : Tuesday 21 April

Cléo de 5 à 7 

A luminous and deeply human film of the Nouvelle Vague, directed by Agnès Varda. Blending real-time narration with poetic realism, the film offers an intimate portrait of a woman confronting fear, identity, and the passage of time. Both innovative and tender, it remains one of the most influential and emotionally resonant works of modern cinema.

Synopsis: 
Cléo, a young and successful pop singer, wanders through Paris while awaiting the results of a medical test that may confirm she has cancer. Over the course of two hours, from 5 to 7 pm, she moves from vanity and anxiety toward self-awareness and emotional clarity. Through encounters with friends, strangers, and finally a soldier on leave, Cléo begins to see the world, and herself, differently. Cléo de 5 à 7 is a moving meditation on femininity, mortality, and the quiet transformation that can occur in a single afternoon.

Session info:

📅 Tuesday, 21 April
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Alliance Française Auckland
🎬 French film with English subtitles

🎟️ Tickets:

• AF Members: $5
• Non-Members: $10