Day for Night

As production begins on his latest film, a French director must contend with a hectic shooting schedule to avoid insurance issues, a worried producer, a love stricken prima donna actor, a high profile actress whom he's never met coming off a breakdown on her last set, a washed up drunken actress who can't remember her lines, on site romances, numerous questions from crew members, unforeseen happenings, technical problems, and a cat who can't follow his cues. Day for Night is legendary director Francois Truffaut's love letter to movies (He even stars as the understanding and put upon helmer Ferrand). The film unfolds at a breakneck pace and is wonderfully directed by a man who appears to be at the top of his craft. By using multiple visual techniques to demonstrate the many various facets that go into making a film, and getting a glimpse of what happens behind the camera and when it isn't rolling, we get a glimpse of how what we see on the screen isn't exactly the same as what goes into making it (the title refers to the process of filming a night scene during the daytime and filtering techniques to darken it. It can also be seen to mean how things aren't what they seem on screen). This is a fascinating look at what goes into the crafting of a film and Day for Night rightfully takes its place alongside other great movies about the movie making process such as Singin' in the Rain and Fellini's 8 1/2.