'We swept a lot under the carpet': Vichy regime film hits home in France of 2026
Movie about Nazi-collaborating administration strikes chord during what director calls ‘time of great uncertainty’
TL;DR
- The French film 'Notre Salut' (A Man of His Time) depicts the bureaucratic complicity of state administrators in the Vichy regime's collaboration with Nazis.
- The film focuses on the everyday actions of individuals involved in the deportation of Jewish people, rather than well-known historical figures.
- Inspired by the writer-director's great-grandfather, the film uses modern filmmaking techniques and a 1980s soundtrack.
- Its success is seen as reflecting contemporary French uncertainties and a public interest in understanding the Vichy regime and the rise of the far right.
- Historians suggest the film's resonance lies in its portrayal of how democratic values can be gradually eroded, offering insights into current political trends.