1. A critical theory and filmmaking philosophy that emphasizes the director as the primary creative author of a film, with a distinctive personal style and vision.
Usage: film criticism; primarily used in academic and film studies contexts

Examples

• Auteurism emerged in French film criticism during the 1950s as critics championed directors like Alfred Hitchcock.
• The director's consistent visual style and thematic concerns are central to auteurism.
• Film scholars debate whether auteurism adequately accounts for the contributions of cinematographers and screenwriters.
• Auteurism has influenced how critics and audiences evaluate and appreciate cinema as an art form.
• The concept of auteurism elevates the director's role to that of an artist comparable to a novelist or painter.