Nicolas Saada -   From Cahiers du Cinéma to Acclaimed Director

Nicolas Saada - From Cahiers du Cinéma to Acclaimed Director

From Hollywood in Cambridge by Cambridge Chronicles

December 4, 2025 · 1h 20m · Episode 21

About this episode

Nicolas Saada discusses his journey from film critic to acclaimed director and shares insights on storytelling and filmmaking.

Ep 21 - In this episode, we sit down with Nicolas Saada, former editor of Cahiers du Cinéma , screenwriter, and director of acclaimed films like Spy(ies) , Taj Mahal . We explore his transition from film critic to filmmaker, his love for spy thrillers, and why he believes rhythm, silence, and ambiguity matter more than plot. Saada shares how being a cinephile shaped his directing style, the creative freedom of European co-productions, and what young filmmakers often get wrong about storytelling.

People in this episode

Guest: Nicolas Saada

Topics covered

  • film criticism
  • filmmaking
  • spy thrillers
  • storytelling
  • European co-productions

Keywords

  • Nicolas Saada
  • Cahiers du Cinéma
  • filmmaking
  • spy thrillers
  • storytelling
  • European co-productions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cahiers du Cinéma

Books & works: Spy(ies), Taj Mahal

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