Z

7.7

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Original title: Z
Year: 1969
Running time: 127 min.
Country: Algeria
Director: Costa-Gavras
Screenwriter: Jorge Semprún. Novel: Vasilis Vasilicós
Music: Mikis Theodorakis
Cinematography: Raoul Coutard
Cast: Yves Montand, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Irene Papas, Jacques Perrin, François Périer, Pierre Dux, Charles Denner, Marcel Bozzuffi, Magali Noël, Renato Salvatori, Georges Géret
Producer: Co-production Algeria-France;
Reggane Films, O.N.C.I.C, Valoria Films
Genre: Drama | Politics. Crime. Based On A True Story
Synopsis: In a country ruled by a fragile democracy where the police and the military are set on erradicating all threats from the political left, a member of the parliamentary opposition is murdered in the street right after leading a pacifist meeting. The official inquiry into the case is entrusted to a young judge who becomes aware that this was a political crime committed by two hired killers. To entangle things further, an ambitious journalist resorts to unorthodox means to pile up evidence against several members of an extreme right-wing party, while these in turn accuse police and army high officials.

Rankings Position

#16 Best Movies Based on a True Story
#67 Best Crime Movies

Awards: 1969: 2 Oscar: Best Foreign Language Picture, Editing. 5 Nominations

1969: Golden Globes: Best Foreign Film

1969: BAFTA Awards: Best Music. 4 Nominations including Best Film

1969: Cannes: Jury Prize & Best Actor (Jean-Louis Trintignant)

1969: New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film & Best Director

1969: Directors Guild of America (DGA): Nominated for Best Director

Critics' reviews

"It is a film of our time. It is about how even moral victories are corrupted. It will make you weep and will make you angry. It will tear your guts out (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: rogerebert.com
"[It] packed a powerful punch. It still does (...) Overall, it holds up, not just as a thriller (...) but as a political statement."

Michael O'Sullivan: The Washington Post
"Forty years on, it’s still an eye-catching, fast-paced watch (...) Its more conventional elements are overcome by a core of idealism and fury (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Bill Weber: Slant
"'Z' is as much a mini-revolution as it is a movie (...) Seen today, 'Z's lessons still apply (...) It’s a film both unmistakably of its time, and timeless."

Scott Tobias: AV Club
"It is a great film for many reasons, not the least of which is that it can be enjoyed as a political thriller as well as a political statement (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"

Gene Siskel: Chicago Tribune
"'Z' retains its power to shock and compel (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"

Ty Burr: Boston Globe
"Fascism has been driven underground, but a dose of Costa-Gavra's electrifyingly brutal 1969 political thriller Z will rattle you all the same."

David Edelstein: New York Magazine
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