Simon Abkarian Brings His De Gaulle to Cannes as Epic French War Drama Emerges as One of the Festival’s Biggest Films

The premiere on the French Riviera arrived with the kind of spectacle usually reserved for major Hollywood studio blockbusters. Abkarian walked the red carpet alongside director Antonin Baudry and the film’s cast. Among the evening’s guests were Bella Hadid, Irina Shayk and Kevin Spacey.

The film centers on the events of June 1940, when France capitulates to Nazi Germany and the relatively unknown General de Gaulle flees to London, determined to convince the world that France has not yet lost the war. No army. No real support. Almost no allies. Only an almost reckless belief in his own vision. Gradually, resistance fighters, soldiers, students and volunteers begin rallying around him, while the film itself shifts between war drama, adventure epic and political thriller.

Critics have paid particular attention to Abkarian’s performance. Cineuropa called his portrayal one of the film’s greatest strengths, noting that the actor managed to “make audiences forget the myth and see the man.”

Reviewers stressed that Abkarian does not play de Gaulle as a bronze monument lifted from a history textbook. His version is stubborn, sometimes humorous, obsessive and occasionally almost reckless – qualities that ultimately make the character feel human. Critics also highlighted the actor’s precise use of the general’s distinctive voice and speech patterns without slipping into caricature.

The film itself, however, has sparked debate. Some critics compare it to classic large-scale war epics of the last century, while others see an almost comic-book energy in the project, describing it as “the French Avengers of World War II.” Baudry has been praised for the scale, spectacle and battle sequences, while also drawing criticism for moments of excessive pathos and historical simplification.

Even skeptics agree on one thing: Cannes has not seen a French production this ambitious in years – one so openly trying to compete with major international cinema. With few large American premieres at the festival this year, many are already calling De Gaulle one of Cannes’ defining crowd-pleasers.

The second part of the duology is set to arrive in French theaters just a month after the first, and judging by the early reactions, the project is shaping up to become one of the most talked-about French releases of the year.