This brings us to the basic thematic difference between Day For Night and Irma Vep—Truffaut’s film is largely about moviemaking as a microcosm for life itself, while Vep is largely about the cinema (and the cinema icon) as a cynosure of desire.

cynosure (n) 1: something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners) 2: something that strongly attracts attention and admiration – The ”Day For Night”/”Irma Vep” taste test