Karolina Westling's book thoughtfully takes us back to the original meaning of the expression enfant terrible. In this innovative study, she illuminates the long-standing fascination French filmmakers have felt for rule-breaking children and adolescents. From the hero of François Truffaut's celebrated The 400 Blows (1959) to young rebels in the 21st-century Parisian banlieue, Westling examines how the screen representation of 'bad' boys and girls uncovers the constantly evolving 'generational contract' with the adults around them, against changes in the law, education and family dynamics. The Cinematic Enfant Terrible should be read by anyone interested in French cinema and in children's rights.

Ginette Vincendeau, Emeritus Professor in Film Studies, King's College London, UK

This is a rich and illuminating study of the figure of the variously wayward, rebellious, or defiant adolescent in French cinema. The discussion spans close to a century of cinema, offering new perspectives on both classic and contemporary films. Importantly, it seeks to understand French cinema's 'difficult children' by probing the representation of parents and parenting at precise historical moments of social change. The argument that the screen figure of the 'enfant terrible' is one that evolves and mutates with the changing place of children in the familial and domestic sphere is compelling.

Sue Harris, Professor Emerita of Film, Queen Mary University of London, UK