cinéma vérité

[sin-uh-muh ver-i-tey, see-ney-mah vey-ree-tey]

noun

1. a technique of documentary filmmaking in which the camera records actual persons and events without directorial control: introduced in France in the 1950s.

2. a film using this technique or a simulation of it.

cinéma vérité

/ sinema verite /

noun

1. films characterized by subjects, actions, etc, that have the appearance of real life

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinéma vérité¹

1960–65; < French cinéma-vérité literally, cinema-truth, coined as a translation of Russian kinoprávda, a documentary technique developed by the Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov (1896–1954)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinéma vérité¹

French, literally: cinema truth

Example Sentences

Pennebaker’s cinéma vérité record of Dylan’s 1965 tour of England, as he transitions from Great Folk Hope to Arty Enfant Terrible.

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Watts: Particularly, the cinema verité episode, where it’s all about the black and white ball.

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“Bert was tired of cultural revolutionaries,” says Newton, “and when he saw me, he saw cinéma vérité.”

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Part photojournalism, part nature doc, part cinéma vérité, part Western, the film defies categorization.

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The comedy star, who has sparingly sung onscreen, debuted her version of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” at CinemaCon in Las Vegas last month, where the two-time Oscar nominee was awarded the convention’s Cinema Véritê Award.

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