A president who saw himself as the end of an era — was he right?
“I am the last of the great Presidents. After me, there will be no more ..." said François Mitterrand at the end of his life. What legacy left the first socialist president of the Fifth Republic? Documentary filmmaker Bertrand Delais and a host of French intellectuals such as Laurent Fabius, Hubert Védrine, Julien Dray, Dominique Bertinotti, Jean-Pierre Chevènement and Bruno Roger-Petit take a look into what that means.
Writing
Razor-sharp analysis from Mitterrand's inner circle
Direction
Delais lets witnesses hang themselves with their own words
Director
Bertrand Delais
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mitterrand's 14-year reign remains the longest in French Fifth Republic history — and this 2016 doc dropped right as Hollande, his socialist successor, was floundering spectacularly.
The 'great Presidents' line wasn't just ego — Mitterrand genuinely believed the Cold War and de Gaulle's shadow made his generation uniquely consequential, and that 24/7 media would flatten all future leaders.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
