auteur theory

American  

noun

1. (in film criticism) a theory that the director is the chief creator of a film and gives it an individual style that is evident in all aspects of the finished product.

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Etymology

Origin of auteur theory

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

In the 60 years since the arrival of the auteur theory on the shores of America, all that has changed, and “Hitchcock/Truffaut” was at the crest of the wave.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

He adheres to the pervasive, pernicious auteur theory, which insists that even non-writing directors are the “authors” of their movies.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2024

The late film critic Andrew Sarris introduced the auteur theory to much of the world in the 1960s, adapting an idea from French New Wave cinema.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 10, 2022

Even at the time, some cinephiles perceived Kael’s essay as an effort to discredit the auteur theory, the then-ascendant notion that the best directors were responsible for the stylistic imprints of their films.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2020

Mangold is rarely an exciting director, but he’s matured into an accomplished journeyman, like the Hollywood directors who were revered before the auteur theory shifted the criteria.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2019