college campus

His film 'The Graduate' (1967) became the definitive exploration of post-college anxiety and the clash between youthful idealism and adult expectations in American society.

His 'Before' trilogy and 'Dazed and Confused' (1993) capture the transformative intellectual and social experiences of college and young adulthood through naturalistic dialogue and philosophical depth.

His semi-autobiographical 'The 400 Blows' (1959) and later works intimately examine the formative years of adolescence and young adulthood as they intersect with education and personal growth.