Jean-Luc Godard, dubbed the godfather of France’s New Wave cinema, has died aged 91.

The newspaper Liberation reports that people close to the Franco-Swiss director have confirmed that he died today (September 13).

The filmmaker is known for movies including Breathless (1960) and Contempt (1963), which pushed cinematic boundaries.

Godard’s films showcased handheld camera work, jump cuts and existential dialogue that revolutionised French cinema and filmmaking in the 1960s.

As Reuters writes, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is often cited as one of a more recent generation of pioneering directors who were initiated by Godard and his Paris-based contemporaries.

Godard was born into a Franco-Swiss family on December 3, 1930 in Paris’s plush Seventh Arrondissement. His father was a doctor, his mother the daughter of a Swiss man who founded Banque Paribas, then an illustrious investment bank.

Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver) has paid tribute the late filmmaker, saying that he was “one of the most influential, iconoclastic film-makers of them all”.

“It was ironic that he himself revered the Hollywood studio film-making system, as perhaps no other director inspired as many people to just pick up a camera and start shooting.”

RIP Jean-Luc Godard, one of the most influential, iconoclastic film-makers of them all. It was ironic that he himself revered the Hollywood studio film-making system, as perhaps no other director inspired as many people to just pick up a camera and start shooting… pic.twitter.com/KFOnnQ1H6n

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) September 13, 2022

Director Asif Kapadia, who has helmed films and documentaries including Senna, Amy and Diego Maradona, paid tribute to the late filmmaker, writing: “The King is Dead.”

The King is Dead.

Jean-Luc Godard, giant of the French new wave, dies at 91 https://t.co/fKfXT14bFG

— asifkapadia (@asifkapadia) September 13, 2022

Author, broadcaster and journalist Lee Zachariah also wrote about Godard, saying that his “early works are practically without peer”.

“Breathless was my entry into French New Wave, inspiring me to always order dessert, pretend I need a newspaper, then skip out on the bill. RIP,” he wrote.

Jean-Luc Godard’s early works are practically without peer. Breathless was my entry into French New Wave, inspiring me to always order dessert, pretend I need a newspaper, then skip out on the bill. RIP. pic.twitter.com/8J6dQXrtQ6

— Lee Zachariah (@leezachariah) September 13, 2022

See more tributes below:

Jean-Luc Godard.
(1930-2022)?? pic.twitter.com/jdlJBQbNd3

— Lost in Cinema (@thefilm_school) September 13, 2022

"I know nothing of life except through the cinema."

Imaginative, pioneering and revolutionary – we bid a sad farewell to one of the most influential filmmakers of all time – Jean-Luc Godard. pic.twitter.com/uaiC9sAeg3

— StudiocanalUK (@StudiocanalUK) September 13, 2022

Saddened to hear of the passing of my King, Jean-Luc Godard. A tower of cinema and visual culture and one of the most important artists of the 20th century. RIP

— Fran Simeoni (@Frangipane13) September 13, 2022

RIP to the great Jean-Luc Godard. pic.twitter.com/JWhYLhvkpo

— jon abbey (@erstrecs) September 13, 2022

Jean-Luc Godard. Shaking things up for seven decades pretty much. Genius. Troublemaker. Often baffling. Always demanded you stop and take notice. RIP. pic.twitter.com/FoIEde8W5g

— Dave Calhoun (@davecalhoun) September 13, 2022

This is a developing story – check back for updates