François Truffaut’s directorial debut introduces his enduring alter ego, Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) – a misunderstood 12-year-old, neglected by his parents and mistreated by repressive schoolteachers, who seeks refuge in truancy, petty crime and, above all, cinema.

 

Truffaut’s most autobiographical film is widely regarded as one of the all-time great coming-of-age movies. A cinematic landmark that heralded the French New Wave, this rebellious, award-winning milestone is presented here on Blu-ray, from a new 4K restoration.

Extras

Presented in High Definition from a new 4K restoration

Audio commentary by Robert Lachenay (2002)

Audition footage (7 mins): Jean-Pierre Léaud, Patrick Auffay and Richard Kanayan in screen tests for The 400 Blows

Les Mistons (1957, 18 mins): Truffaut develops his distinctive style in this early short

Truffaut, Bazin, Renoir: A Love Story (2022, 20 mins): film academic Catherine Wheatley’s illustrated presentation, recorded at ‘François Truffaut’s Cinematic and Literary Influences Study Day’, BFI Southbank

Images of Paris: documentary gems from the BFI National Archive, including Panorama Around the Eiffel Tower (1900, 1 min), Metropolitan Railway of Paris (1913, 6 mins), and Lunch on the Eiffel Tower (1914, 1 min)

Original theatrical trailer

2022 theatrical trailer

Stills gallery

**FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new essays by Ellen Cheshire and Kieron McCormack