French film pioneer Eric Rohmer dies at 89

Eric Rohmer, a pioneer of the French film movement "New Wave" which transformed cinema in the 1960s, has died. He was 89.

In a movie career spanning half a century, Rohmer, made some 50 pictures, first gaining international acclaim for "My Night at Maud's" which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay in 1969.

Eric Rohmer, pioneer of the French film movement "New Wave"

"Claire's Knee" in 1970 triumphed at the San Sebastian film festival, and "Love in the Afternoon" two years later secured Rohmer's position as a master of the intense portrayal of the cerebral and the sensual.

His work divided the film world, with some critics quick to denounce his movies as desperately tedious, while his fans hailed him as an aesthete who laid bare the human soul.

Rohmer received a coveted Golden Lion for his achievements at the Venice festival in 2001.