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La Commune (Paris, 1871)
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La Commune (Paris, 1871)
IDFA 2021

La Commune (Paris, 1871)

Peter Watkins
France
2000
208 min
n.a.
Festival history

Following France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War 150 years ago, the starving population of Paris rose up in rebellion. The government fled to Versailles and the people elected a radical leftist government that called itself the Commune. Two months later, troops loyal to the government extinguished the revolution with rivers of blood. Thirty thousand men, women, and children were murdered.

This gripping documentary reconstruction consciously uses the anachronistic medium of broadcast television to present the revolutionary events. National TV Versailles supports the old regime, while Commune TV supports the revolution. This serves to underscore the fact that news is always biased.

The film itself takes the side of the revolutionaries, presenting the crushing of the Commune as the logical outcome in a repressive capitalist and nationalist system that’s committing similar atrocities in its colonies. But this black-and-white film doesn’t shy away from internal tensions, with women still expected to “know their place” in revolutionary Paris. The film came about after intensive group discussions with the cast, and this comes through in their passionate and convincing performances.

Credits
Director
Production
    Paul Saadoun for 13 productions
    Paul Saadoun for 13 productions
Co-production
    Le Musée d'Orsay
    Le Musée d'Orsay
Involved TV Channel
    La Sept ARTE
    La Sept ARTE
Screenplay
Cinematography
    Odd-Geir Sæther
    Odd-Geir Sæther
Editing
Sound
    Jean-François Priester
    Jean-François Priester
Screening copy
    13 productions
    13 productions

Images

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