The 400 Blows

François Truffaut’s barnstorming debut, which became the cornerstone of the French New Wave, remains as charming and dynamic as ever. Jean-Pierre Lèaud gives a heartbreaking performance as Antoine Doinel, a misunderstood young so-and-so who bunks off school and seeks solace in the cinema.

Pioneering in its gritty verité style and use of tracking shots, and summed up by its unforgettable closing frame – Doinel as lonely long-distance runner – The 400 Blows is, above all else, one of the all-time classic films about childhood.