A constant discussion in the world of cinema is about which films classify as art and which don't. In some cases, the discussion concluded that film d'auteur is the branch of cinematography that can be considered the most artistic. Many times, when entering this debate, people forget that, after all, cinema is an industry and like all industries, it seeks to generate profits. Surely, you will have an opinion about it.

In short, film d'auteur is what people often call "art cinema", where the director usually has all the weight of the creative decisions of their film, because they seek to share their particular vision of the world. But, this is easier to understand with an example: when a great producer wants to make an epic film to release during the summer, they work on the concept and look for a person who suits their needs to take over the direction, one or more scriptwriters, cinematographers, etc. that work for their concept. In the event that, suddenly, the director no longer serves that production company, it’s easier to find someone new and continue with the project. A clear case is the Marvel movies, where it’s the studio that has the last word on what will or won’t be seen on the screen. Is also the studio who decides which team members will leave or stay. It is something like a commissioned film, where the ultimate goal is to design a product that pleases and generates income in order to continue producing.
On the other hand, in film d'auteur, the creator has complete freedom to express their ideas during film production (although, of course, those who are in the production position will always have to give a thumbs up; luckily, many times, the same directors occupy the position, in order to have a greater rank when guiding their history on the right track). Examples of great film d'auteur personalities are Sofia Coppola or Lars Von Trier.

In film d'auteur, it’s common currency that the person who directs is also the one in charge of writing the script, although it’s not a rule. Directors may have a head writer who knows their vision very well, with whom they manage to build the "perfect" movie.

Depending on who you ask, the world of cinema is also plagued with divided opinions about film d'auteur: if it really is good, who makes it, or even if it really should be considered a category. Regardless of opinions, today we bring you a list of auteur films (and also cult films) that you may not have seen and that you had no idea what you wanted to see.

Rash?mon (1950). Dir. Akira Kurosawa.

Maybe you've heard the name Akira Kurosawa somewhere. With a prolific film production, spanning five decades, Kurosawa is a benchmark for many contemporary directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Steven Speilberg or Quentin Tarantino.
In Rash?mon (based on the story by Ry?nosuke Akutagawa), this Japanese director explores the different points of view around a crime, allowing the viewer to form their own conclusions when encountering a series of diverse and interesting characters.

This film, which had several problems to be accepted by the studios of the time, generated the Rash?mon effect technique, which has been used by countless directors in the history of cinema.

Vengeance Trilogy (2002 to 2005). Dir. Park Chan-Wook.

If you liked the mastery demonstrated by Bong Joon-ho in Parasite (2019), you might want to give more Korean cinema a shot. If so, Park Chan-Wook and his Revenge Trilogy are your ideal choice. Composed of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Oldboy (2003) and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005), this installment explores what happens when humans follow their vengeful instincts. You may have heard of Spike Lee's American version of Oldboy. As good as Spike Lee may be, his version doesn't compare to the original.
Warning: If you think the climax of Parasite was overdone, then you might want to try a much less gory movie from the same director, titled I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006). If you like Amélie (2001), then you will love this one.
Climax (2018). Dir. Gaspar Noé.
Director Gaspar Noé is known worldwide for his daring when exploring his characters. This Argentine director is not afraid to show the different lewd facets of the human being, from sexuality to addictions.

In Climax, Gaspar Noé goes one step further in stories like El Ángel Exterminador (1966), where the characters are forced to remain in a space due to circumstances that the viewer has to discover. In this case, the Argentine combines the experience of confinement with LSD and members of the art scene.

The camera work of Benoît Debie (with whom Gaspar Noé worked on Irreversible and Enter the Void), who builds the film in one shot, helps the viewer feel the same effects as the party participants on screen. How? You will have to see it to find out.

Ladri di biciclette (1950). Dir. Vittorio De Sica.

The questionable morality of the human being is usually a recurring theme in film d'auteur.

In this work of Italian neorealism, Vittorio De Sica places us in Rome, during the post-war period, and introduces us to a family that finds a ray of hope in the wave of unemployment that hits the city. After suffering a robbery that puts his new job in danger, Antonio, our main character, confronts different situations that make him face even more the reality of the Rome in which he lives. Bicycle Thieves, fortunately or unfortunately, is a film that has not lost its contemporaneity.

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989). Dir. Peter Greenaway.

Visually, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her lover is already a delight. The director, Peter Greenaway, began his training as a painter, which helps him perceive space on planes in a different way than any other member of the film guild who started with a camera in his hands would.

In this film, Greenaway explores not only the theatrical and pictorial possibilities of cinema, with a camera game that will make you feel watching a moving painting, but also the limits of human decency, relying on the wonderful performance of British actor Michael Gambon by Helen Mirren, Richard Bohringer and Alan Howard.

If you feel like you want more after seeing these recommendations, you may also want to explore the work of the aforementioned Sofia Coppola and Lars Von Trier, as well as films such as Anomalisa (2015), Mr. Nobody (2009), Les quatre cents coups (1959), Tangerine (2015), Taxi Teheran (2015) or À peine j'ouvre les yeux (2016).