Richard Linklater is known for using his films as a means of world-building, immersing himself completely in a mood, a character, or an era. Nouvelle Vague is no different; it takes on Paris in the 1960s. Linklater embraces the task of retelling a story many cinephiles already know. He portrays the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s À Bout de Souffle (Breathless) with such passion and innovation that it feels as groundbreaking as the original film was in its own time. Even though audiences already know the success story of Godard’s film, Linklater crafts a narrative that draws us in, making us feel the anxiety and occasional loneliness of a young filmmaker. While recounting the birth of one of the greatest modern directors, Linklater also reveals the worries of youth struggling to find their place in the creative world, the pure passion all filmmakers share, and the necessity of making art. With his auteur approach, employing all his formal and thematic tools, he places the viewer right in the midst of Godard’s youthful gang.