auteur

American  

[oh-tur, oh-tœr] / oʊˈtɜr, oʊˈtœr /

noun

plural

auteurs

1. a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp.

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auteur British  

/ ɔːˈtɜː /

noun

1. a director whose creative influence on a film is so great as to be considered its author

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Other Word Forms

• auteurism noun
• auteurist adjective

Etymology

Origin of auteur

1960–65; < French: literally, author, originator < Latin auctor. See author

Example Sentences

Yet despite the struggles of its parent company Warner Bros Discovery, the storied movie studio has enjoyed a banner year, bucking Tinseltown's obsession with sequels and backing original fare from auteur filmmakers.

From Barron's

Their cultural blinders were imposed on an entire nation, which is why it was so difficult for Latin music, auteur cinema and rap to force their way into the mainstream.

From The Wall Street Journal

Skarsgård, so good as the irascible father and legendary auteur in “Sentimental Value,” didn’t get a nomination from the Actors Awards, guaranteeing this category will keep us guessing until the envelope is opened.

From Los Angeles Times

“Father Mother Sister Brother” is here to commiserate, but because the veteran indie auteur remains a sharp chronicler of the quotidian, he has no patience for sentimentality or pat resolutions.

From Los Angeles Times

He delighted audiences while managing to avoid getting hemmed in as an auteur.

From Los Angeles Times