Nouvelle Vague

Abstract

In reference to the “Nouvelle Vague” (“New Wave”) of the late 1950s film makers in France, the leadership selected at the 14th Zengakuren convention in the spring of 1959 came to be called the New Wave of the student movement. (I think it was Mainichi Shimbun social issues reporter Masahiro Yoshino, who often came to the Zengakuren office in those days, who first began using the term “nouvelle vague.” He was about ten years older than I, but Karōji and I would go out drinking with him and we would talk about films. He was a fan of Jeanne Moreau , who starred in “Jules and Jim.” Quite a few years later, at Katase Enoshima station on the Odakyū Line, he reprimanded the behavior of some hot-rodder gang members and was beaten to death by a metal chain. It pained me to learn of his death. This was the kind of fervent person he was.) Until then members of the Communist Party, who were practically activists by occupation, had led the Zengakuren. In contrast, the new officers were from the new generation unencumbered by politics. Our average age was just over 21. This shift toward younger leadership was the brilliant idea of Shigeo Shima , the secretary general of the Bund.