The Cousins

The Cousins (Les Cousins) was directed by Claude Chabrol, a pioneering filmmaker of the French New Wave. It was released in 1959 and was his third feature film. Chabrol is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of the French New Wave movement alongside Jean-Luc Godard.

Yes, the film won the prestigious Golden Bear award for Best Film at the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. This victory solidified Chabrol's reputation on the international cinema stage. The film was also a surprise commercial hit in France.

The plot centers on Charles, a naive law student from the countryside, who moves to Paris to live with his sophisticated and decadent cousin Paul. Their wildly clashing lifestyles and morals form the core of the drama. The film deeply explores themes of social class, urban corruption, and tragedy.

The film stars Gérard Blain as the impressionable Charles and Jean-Claude Brialy as the charismatic but cynical Paul. Brialy and Blain were frequent collaborators in the French New Wave scene. Chabrol would go on to direct both actors in several of his subsequent films.