A biographical film about Charles de Gaulle has become a hit among young people in France
The French two-part biographical film *La Bataille de Gaulle*, about General Charles de Gaulle, has drawn 5 million viewers in French theaters since its premiere in June. The film became an unexpected summer hit and competed for audiences with Hollywood releases “Spider-Man: A New Day” and “The Odyssey,” according to The Guardian.
Both parts, each nearly three hours long, were directed by French diplomat and former ministerial advisor Antonin Baudry. The two-part series is based on British historian Julian Jackson’s 2018 biography, *A Certain Idea of France: The Life of Charles de Gaulle*. Production of the films cost up to 80 million pounds.
The first part—“L’Âge de fer” (“The Iron Age”)—chronicles de Gaulle’s trip to London in June 1940 and the formation of the “Free French” forces to fight against the Nazis. The film depicts the Battle of Bir Hakeim in Libya, where 3,700 Free French fighters held their positions for 16 days against 37,000 German troops under the command of Erwin Rommel, allowing the British 8th Army to retreat. The second part—*J’écris ton nom* (“I Write Your Name”)—covers events leading up to the liberation of France in 1944.
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Simon Abkarian played the role of de Gaulle, while Simon Russell Beale portrayed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Bodri told French radio that he wanted to reach a young audience through themes of war, resistance, and civic engagement.
After its theatrical release, the film initially appeared to be a commercial failure. Later, Pathé organized special screenings for young people featuring blogger Inoxtag and Bodri, and some local councils provided free tickets to students. Nathalie Sota, Pathé’s deputy general manager of distribution, said that the company’s research attributes the film’s popularity among young people primarily to the theme of resistance.
Historian Alya Aglan of the University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne believes that young French people see in de Gaulle a figure who experienced setbacks and hesitations but embodied resistance. At the same time, historian and de Gaulle biographer Arnaud Tessier criticized the film, comparing it to a “comic book” that, in his opinion, fails to convey the complexity of this historical figure.
