De Gaulle biopic becomes surprise hit with young French viewers

The new two-part biopic about Charles de Gaulle, titled La Bataille de Gaulle, has become a surprise summer hit in French cinemas, drawing an audience of 5 million people since its release in June. The film, directed by Antonin Baudry, is adapted from the 2018 biography A Certain Idea of France: The Life of Charles de Gaulle by Julian Jackson, a professor of history at Queen Mary University of London. The first installment, L'Âge de fer (Iron Age), follows De Gaulle's journey to London in June 1940 and the founding of the Free French forces, highlighting the Battle of Bir Hakeim. The second, J'écris ton nom (I Write Your Name), covers the rest of the war up to the liberation of France in 1944. The cast includes Simon Abkarian as De Gaulle and Simon Russell Beale as Winston Churchill.

The film's popularity among young viewers is notable. Historians argue that the enthusiasm reflects a desire for a unifying figure as France faces political division. Alya Aglan, a professor at the Panthéon-Sorbonne university, said young people are discovering parts of a story they did not know, including a man who knew failures and hesitation but embodied the spirit of resistance. The film resonates particularly in the run-up to a presidential election, which is expected to be divisive. Local councils offered free tickets for students, and word spread on social media.

However, not everyone is enthusiastic. Arnaud Teyssier, a historian and De Gaulle biographer, dismissed the biopic as a "comic strip" that did not do its subject justice. He noted that De Gaulle's elusive demeanour is far more complex to portray than Churchill's. Nathalie Cieutat, deputy director general of distribution at Pathé Films, said research showed that the theme of resistance made the film particularly popular with the young, as everyone is thinking about how to resist.

The film's success rivals Hollywood blockbusters, and it is set to be released in UK cinemas on 28 August and 19 September. The historian Henry Rousso called it one of the few French historical epics, noting that De Gaulle remains an exceptional figure with no equivalent today.