Chronicle of a Summer
1961 · Movie · 91 min · ★ 7.2 · 76% critics
In Paris during the summer of 1960, filmmakers roam the streets and workplaces asking everyday people how they handle life’s setbacks and whether they feel happy. As conversations deepen, the film shifts between candid interviews and group discussions, capturing personal worries, social tensions, and the uneasy line between being oneself and performing for the camera.
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Details
- Original title
- Chronique d'un été (Paris 1960)
- Years
- 1961
- Release date
- 1961-10-20
- Language
- French
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Critic score
- 76/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (116 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you like reflective, conversation-driven documentaries that question what “truth” on camera means, and you’re curious about everyday life in 1960 Paris; Not for you if you want a tight plot or constant momentum.
Pros: thought-provoking street interviews; vivid time-capsule Paris; emotionally revealing moments | Cons: loose, rambling structure; uneven engagement; can feel slow
Themes
- friendship
- paris, france
- cinema on cinema
- saint-tropez, france
- summer vacation
- french colonialism
- cinéma vérité
- observational cinema
- human interest
- working life
- traumatized woman
- personal relationships
- +4 more
Cast & crew
Edgar Morin
as Self
Jean Rouch
as Self
Marceline Loridan-Ivens
as Self
- MP
Marilù Parolini
as Self
Jean-Pierre Sergent
as Self
Régis Debray
as Self
- NB
Nadine Ballot
as Self
- ML
Modeste Landry
as Self
Directed by Edgar Morin, Jean Rouch