Introduction: What Creative Leaders Can Learn from Jean-Luc Godard

Jean-Luc Godard, visionary director of the French New Wave, reinvented cinema by bending—then breaking—rules. His work was a radical call to rethink how stories are told, how authority is challenged, and how truth is uncovered in unexpected places. As a leader, Godard’s journey is a lesson in bold experimentation, courage in self-expression, and the art of questioning everything. Walking in his footsteps through Paris, you’re invited not only to examine the city and its cinematic history, but to edit, retake, and reframe your own story as a leader. You are your narrative’s director—will you dare to assemble something truly original?

Timeline & Walking Tour Itinerary

Time	Location & Theme	Reflection & Questions
09:00	Start: Cinémathèque Française (51 Rue de Bercy) Ordinary World / The Innocent	What are the old stories you’ve been told? What “rules” might you challenge in your leadership?
09:45	Quartier Latin – Café de Flore (Filming, debates, inspiration) Mentors, Allies, Tests / Sage & Explorer	Who inspires your boldest choices? When did you last search for meaning outside the mainstream?
11:00	Rue de Buci (location from “Breathless”) Crossing the Threshold / The Rebel & Outlaw	When have you taken a risk that changed your story? How did you feel stepping into the unknown?
12:00	Lunch: Le Select (Montparnasse, haunt of New Wave filmmakers) Community & Caregiver	How do you nurture your collaborators? When does conversation spark your next breakthrough?
13:15	Champs-Élysées (site of “Le Mépris” and cinematic premieres) Ordeal, Triumph / The Hero & Creator	When were you tested under the spotlight? What did you build in the face of resistance?
14:30	Cinéma Le Champo (Latin Quarter, New Wave screenings) Transformation & The Jester	How do you use humor, surprise, and play to shift your leadership? When did you learn most from failure?
15:30	Odéon–Saint-Germain (Godard’s favorite wandering ground) Reflection / Magician & Sage	Where in your journey do you pause, re-edit, or find new perspective? What “cut” would you make in your story today?
16:30	Finale: Pont des Arts (“Band of Outsiders” scene / Godard’s cinematic Paris) Return with the Elixir / Ruler	What is the legacy you’re composing? How will your unique narrative inspire other “directors” you lead?

The Hero’s Journey & 12 Archetypes: Godard in Paris

• The Innocent: Cinephile dreaming in Paris, absorbing American films and classics.
• The Orphan/Everyman: Godard as the outsider, doubting, questioning, belonging to a counter-culture.
• The Hero: Launching the French New Wave, pushing cinematic and societal boundaries.
• The Caregiver: Godard as champion of new voices, supporting emerging filmmakers.
• The Explorer: Restlessly seeking new forms, street filming, merging life and art.
• The Rebel/Outlaw: Breaking the fourth wall, dismantling cinematic traditions.
• The Lover: Devotion to art, and to collaborators like Anna Karina.
• The Creator: Inventing new cinematic language—jump cuts, fragmented narrative, improvisation.
• The Jester: Satirizing authority, using wit and surprise to provoke reflection.
• The Sage: Deeply philosophical, endlessly questioning meaning, truth, and story.
• The Magician: Transforming ordinary Paris into a mythic, cinematic city.
• The Ruler: His enduring legacy—reshaping global cinema.

Reflection Moments & Questions at Each Stop

• Cinémathèque Française:
  What foundational rules or narratives are you ready to challenge as a leader?
• Café de Flore / Quartier Latin:
  Who opens your mind to new ideas? Where do you go to debate, play, and imagine your next bold move?
• Rue de Buci:
  What threshold have you crossed by daring to be different? How did it change the plot of your life?
• Le Select, Montparnasse:
  How do you foster creative exchange with allies? Who keeps your vision honest and alive?
• Champs-Élysées:
  When did you step into the spotlight and risk failure? How did you find your creative voice under pressure?
• Cinéma Le Champo:
  How have you used wit or “mistakes” to discover a new truth or path?
• Odéon–Saint-Germain:
  How do you pause and regroup? What surprising “cuts” or edits could bring your story alive?
• Pont des Arts:
  What elixir—new perspective, method, or inspiration—will you bring back to your team or community?

Conclusion: Lessons from Godard’s Hero’s Journey

Godard’s Parisian odyssey is an invitation to disrupt, to question, to never stop experimenting. He rewrote the rules of cinema—and, in doing so, found creative flow by being unapologetically himself. In the script of your own life, you are both director and protagonist. By challenging received wisdom, assembling your unique story from bold choices, and daring to lead with authenticity, you create a legend that transcends mere imitation.

Final Reflection:
What story are you editing and directing as a leader? How will your “jump cuts” and risks create a new language for those who follow you?

Tour Details:

• Duration: 1 day
• Start Time: 09:00 AM
• End Time: 05:00 PM
• Cost: € 995 per person excluding VAT per person

You can book this tour by sending Peter an email with details at peterdekuster2023@gmail.com

Your Tour Guide

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project,  a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.

Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing,  MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.