Le Chant du styrène

film by Resnais

Also known as: “The Song of Styrene”

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June 24, 2026

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Le Chant du styrène is a 1959 French film directed by Alain Resnais. While nominally a film publicizing the versatility of the plastic polystyrene, it transcends its subject matter to become a meditation on the transformation of matter. The film, with a script by Raymond Queneau, explores how amorphous natural substances are converted into everyday household items.1

Styrene itself is a fragrant liquid hydrocarbon used in the production of synthetic rubber, resins, and plastics. Resnais, a prominent figure in the French New Wave cinema, was known for his ability to imbue even seemingly mundane subjects with profound philosophical depth, often exploring themes of memory, time, and human consciousness.21

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Alain Resnais
” Le Chant du styrène (1959; “The Song of Styrene”), written by author and critic Raymond Queneau, nominally publicizing the versatility of the plastic polystyrene, became a meditation on the transformation of matter from amorphous nature into bright, banal household implements.
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” Le Chant du styrène (1959; “The Song of Styrene”), written by author and critic Raymond Queneau, nominally publicizing the versatility of the plastic polystyrene, became a meditation on the transformation of matter from amorphous nature into bright, banal household implements.
Read More