What is the "Auteur Theory"?

The "Auteur Theory" posits that the director is the principal creative force in a film, suggesting that a director's personal creative vision and style can be seen in their body of work. This theory emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, primarily through the writings of critics from the French publication Cahiers du Cinéma. Advocates of this theory argue that directors, much like authors of literature, imbue their films with their unique perspectives, themes, and stylistic choices, allowing their individual signatures to come through in their films.

This approach emphasizes how the director's creative influence can dominate the filmmaking process, often viewing the director as the primary artist behind a film, much like an author is to a book. The concept helps in evaluating cinema by focusing on a filmmaker's overall oeuvre rather than a single work, promoting the idea that certain directors have a distinguishable "voice" that permeates their entire filmography.

The other options refer to different aspects of filmmaking, such as the role of actors or producers, which do not align with the core principles of the Auteur Theory, and thus, they do not encapsulate the essence of this influential cinematic concept.