What is direct cinema and where does the term come from? How did it evolve and what are some of the key films of this important filmmaking movement? Thanks to the development of new techniques and the spirit of adventure of the movement’s pioneers, of whom Michel Brault is one of the central figures, a new style of filmmaking emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This film by Denys Desjardins traces the history of a collective movement that reinvented production methods in Quebec at a time when nationalism was also emerging. Motivated by a strong desire to get closer to real people, direct cinema evolved gradually and freely. Essential viewing for anyone interested in this important era in the history of filmmaking, this documentary presents the views and reminiscences of such important figures as Marcel Carrière, Jacques Giraldeau, Claude Fournier, Jean-Claude Labrecque, Denys Arcand, Fernand Dansereau, and others.