Jean-Luc Godard Memorialized In Memes About Communism And Girls With Bangs

Legendary Franco-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard died today at the age of 91, inspiring many memes from corners of the internet deeply influenced by his work. Godard, one of the leading figures of the French New Wave, is not only foundational to modern moviemaking in the eyes of many, but also perceived as required viewing for essentially every online leftist.

Godard began his career as a critic for Cahiers du cinéma (which one could argue was the Know Your Meme of the French film community in the 1950s), publishing at a time when the art form was seen as unserious, underground and of little interest to theoreticians and historians. Godard then started as a director in the 1960s, making films like Breathless and Pierrot le fou, which pushed the medium of film and redefined what it could do.

Godard’s work is also of particular interest to online communists because it is animated by a complex and often darkly humorous preoccupation with capitalism, imperialism and injustice. Godard’s films arguably helped inspire political movements in the 1960s, both in France and abroad.

A number of memers on Twitter joked about how they might take advantage of Godard’s death following the news spreading online.

Godard also was an engaged and insightful critic of media, particularly film. Conflicted over what he saw as Western art and media’s complicity in the 20th century’s most gruesome conflicts (particularly the wars in Algeria and Vietnam) he gave his opinion at length and in detail whenever anybody asked him, often while wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigarette.

Others associated the director’s death with other recent celebrity deaths, including the viral and highly memed death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Many joked about Godard’s personality, which was famously difficult. He had a reputation as someone who was grouchy and socially awkward, occasionally behaving cruelly towards friends, lovers and fans. At the same time, he was romantically linked with some of France's most famous women.

Many memes appreciated Godard’s famous sense of humor and his interactions with Hollywood, with which he famously had a love-hate relationship.

For the most part, Twitter was largely full of appreciation for Godard’s art and legacy, with many sharing favorite moments and shots from his films throughout the day.