auteurjaar

Auteurjaar is a Dutch term that combines the words auteur and jaar (year) and appears in two related discourses: film theory and bibliographic practice. In film criticism, it is used to discuss the year or period that is considered defining for a particular filmmaker as an author. In this sense, an “auteurjaar” may denote a year in which a director released one or more works that are read as especially revealing of their distinct stylistic or thematic voice. Scholarly use of the term tends to focus on turning points, clusters of releases, or films that crystallize an auteur’s recognizable approach.

In bibliographic and citation practice, auteurjaar also appears as a reference to an author-year style of citation. In Dutch-language scholarship, this usage describes in-text citations that pair the author’s surname with the publication year (for example, van Dijk 2020) and are typically paired with a full references list. The term highlights the emphasis on authorial attribution coupled with time, but its exact application can vary by discipline, publisher, and style guide. Some contexts use the phrase to distinguish this method from numeric or footnote-based systems.

Because auteurjaar is not an official single standard, its meaning depends on context. Researchers should consult the relevant journal’s or field’s guidelines to interpret whether the reference is about a critical concept in auteur theory or about a citation convention. See also auteur theory and author-year citation styles.