“Death has terrified us since we were little, and we don’t want to talk about it. No, we have to talk about it and prepare for it!” At 91, the Franco-Greek filmmaker Costa-Gavras, master of the political thriller with notable works such as “Z”, “L'Aveu”, “The Right Hand of the Devil” or “Encore Amen”, returns with a poignant film and introspective, “Le Dernier Souffle” presented last Sunday in preview, during the International Festival at the Véo cinema.
Film release next February
With the serenity of a seasoned director, Costa-Gavras confronts the notion of human finitude through this deeply human and political drama. Distributed by Bac Films, “Le Dernier Souffle” will be released in theaters next February and brings together a prestigious cast: Denis Podalydès, Charlotte Rampling, Kad Merad, Karin Viard, Ángela Molina and Marilyne Canto.
Adapted from a work by Régis Debray and doctor Claude Grange, the film revolves around philosophical debates on death between two central figures: a doctor in palliative care, played by Kad Merad, and a writer facing his own end , played by Denis Podalydès. In a friendly and passionate dialogue, Doctor Augustin Masset and the writer Fabrice Toussaint confront each other. For one, the end of life of his patients is a daily challenge, while for the other, the prospect of his own death raises existential questions. Carried away by a whirlwind of visits and meetings, they begin a human and sensitive journey to the heart of all of our lives. Through each story told, the film gives the impression of an intimate discussion around a table, where the protagonists share fragments of life, sometimes poignant, sometimes luminous. Beyond the intimate setting, the film finds particular resonance in the public debate, particularly around palliative care, the law on the end of life in France and the management of pain. By tackling a subject that is as universal as it is intimate, Costa-Gavras offers a work that challenges us, both philosophically and politically.
The film was screened in the presence of Laurent Vivès, ex-hospital practitioner and Sylvie Seitz, creator of the palliative care unit at the Saint-Gaudens hospital center.
