Z
Z is a 1969 political thriller film directed by Costa-Gavras, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jorge Semprún, adapted from the 1967 novel by Vassilis Vassilikos. The film presents a thinly fictionalized account of the events surrounding the assassination of democratic Greek politician Grigoris Lambrakis in 1963. With its dark view of Greek politics and its downbeat ending, the film captures the director's outrage about the junta that, at the time when it was made, ruled Greece. The title refers to a popular Greek protest slogan (, ) meaning "he lives," in reference to Lambrakis.
Plot
The left-wing opposition in an unnamed Mediterranean country (based on Greece under the junta) plan to have a famous government deputy (based on Grigoris Lambrakis) give a speech advocating for nuclear disarmament, but the government interferes by pressuring venues to deny them space and setting thugs on them to tear down posters and harass attendees. The opposition receive an anonymous tip about a threat to the deputy's life and report it to government officials, but they dismiss the claims.
Awards
Cast
- Andrée Tainsy
- Bernard Fresson
- Charles Denner
- Clotilde Joano
- François Périer
- Françoise Bonnot
- Gabriel Jabbour
- Georges Géret
- Georges Rouquier
- Gérard Darrieu
- Guy Mairesse
- Hassan El-Hassani
- Irene Papas
- Jacques Perrin
- Jean Bouise
- Jean Dasté
- Jean-Louis Trintignant
- Jean-Pierre Miquel
- José Artur
- Julien Guiomar
- Magali Noël
- Marcel Bozzuffi
- Maurice Baquet
- Pierre Dux
- Raoul Coutard
- Renato Salvatori
- Sid Ahmed Agoumi
- Yves Montand