LE SIÈCLE DE COSTA-GAVRAS / EPISODE 3 : LA VÉRITÉ EST RÉVOLUTIONNAIRE - L'AVEU
Costa-Gavras on The Costa-Gavras Century: The Truth is Revolutionary – The Confession
Le Siècle de Costa-Gavras : La Vérité est révolutionnaire – L’Aveu (The Costa-Gavras Century: The Truth is Revolutionary – The Confession) is the third episode of a ten-part documentary directed by Yannick Kergoat and written by Edwy Plenel. This KG Productions piece is dedicated to the story of L’Aveu (The Confession), a film about Stalinist totalitarianism released in 1970. The episode is presented at Cannes Classics by Michèle Ray-Gavras, with the director Costa-Gavras, Yannick Kergoat and Edwy Plenel. We spoke to Costa-Gavras.
What was the origin of this series about your work?
The idea for this series came from exchanges with Michèle and Edwy Plenel after the interviews we did together for the two Arte box sets. Edwy then wrote an essay about my cinema, called “Tous les films sont politiques” (“All films are political”). This series isn’t a panegyric of my work, but an account of the century just gone through the lens of my films, using archives and interviews. It also explores how the issues they focused on are still current – in short, a “present past”.
How was it collaborating with Jorge Semprún, who wrote the script for L’Aveu (The Confession)?
Jorge was worried about the magnitude of the content of Arthur and Lise London’s book, and by its subject. I suggested he retain the idea that a State had decided to create a system of torture for confessions and staged trials to justify the fact that the political system wasn’t working. High-ranking figures, including the prime minister, eventually admitted to having betrayed their country for the Americans.
What would the topic of L’Aveu (The Confession) be if the film were set in modern-day society?
Sadly, there is no shortage of persecution, lying and state violence in today’s world to create a storyline. Though it is difficult to imagine a transposition of Stalinist totalitarianism specifically since it’s still so unique.
The film screening will be followed by a one-hour discussion between Costa-Gavras, Yannick Kergoat and Edwy Plenel, hosted by film critic Michel Frodon.
