Nouvelle Vague: Richard Linklater on his homage to French cinema, and working with Paul Mescal 

As well as his Paris-set current film, Linklater is tipping away at a 20-year project in which Mescal plays one of the ageing characters, writes Esther McCarthy

Aubry Dullin and Zoey Deutch in 'Nouvelle Vague', by Richard Linklater.

There’s a joie de vivre to Nouvelle Vague, a love letter to French New Wave cinema that dances to a Parisian beat. Shot in black and white, Richard Linklater’s sassy and funny film is the story of the making of A Bout de Souffle (Breathless) told in the very spirit and style of that original film.

Though cinephiles will be in their happy place, you don’t have to be familiar with New Wave cinema to enjoy being whisked away to 1960s Paris in this colourful tale. From the cool contrarian Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) to his leading lady Jean Seberg (the uncannily similar Zoey Deutch) Linklater’s film brings these personalities and the sense of time and place vividly to life.