Musicology Annotation << Back Minimalism in the Music of Armand Amar for the Films «Amen» by Costa Gavras, «Sagan» by Diane Kurys, Its Influence on the Formation of the Film’s Atmosphere and the Emotional Response of the Audience Platonova Olesia A. The article analyzes the musical scores of the French composer Armand Amar for the films «Amen» (2001) by Costa-Gavras and «Sagan» (2008) by Diane Kurys. The introduction of the minimalist method of composition into the author’s style of Armand Amar was associated with the peculiarities of his creative development. These are an active comprehension of theory and practice of extra-European musical cultures (in particular, Indian classical music, which is one of the sources that nourish American minimalism) and a meeting with Terry Riley, which prompted him to master the basics of repetitive techniques. Music of the analyzed films clearly shows the influence of minimalism in the reliance on patterns, a melodious-harmonic simplicity of the initial material, ostinatos, a gradual thickening of texture due to its polyphonic complication, adding new voices to the development of the theme, the apparent lack of culminations and contrasts. Despite the obvious differences in the style of these fi lmmakers and the plot basis of the films (Costa-Gavras’s interest in the problems of society and Diane Kurys attention to the inner life of a person), repetitive music in both cases helps to solve important dramatic tasks: to create a special atmosphere, to emphasize the rhythm and tonality of each motion picture, and finally, to evoke in the viewer a response to the events taking place in films. And this is not an indifferent contemplation or, on the contrary, a complete emotional involvement in the action with the obligatory achievement of catharsis, but rather a detached observation of the life of an individual («Sagan») or the fate of all mankind («Amen»). Keywords: French Film Music, minimalism, post-minimalism, repetitive method of composition, Armand Amar, Costa-Gavras, Diane Kurys. DOI: 10.25791/musicology.4.2021.1186 Pp. 21-27.