La Pointe Courte is a 1955 French drama film directed by Agnès Varda (in her feature film directorial debut). It has been cited by many critics as a forerunner of the French New Wave, with the historian Georges Sadoul calling it "truly the first film of the nouvelle vague". The film takes place in Sète in the south of France. The Pointe Courte ("short point") is a tiny quarter of the town known as the fisherman's village.

Plot

A young woman arrives on the Paris train at the port of Sète, where she is met by her husband who grew up there. Not sure whether she wants to continue their marriage, she has come to talk it through. As the couple wander around the fishermen's quarter, the film shows the life of its inhabitants. The women look after their homes and their children, one of whom falls ill and dies. The men in small boats follow their ancient trade, perturbed by pollution of the lagoon where they catch shellfish. The authorities try to stop use of the lagoon, with one young fisherman being arrested and jailed.