French World War II Epic 'De Gaulle' Premieres in the U.S.

Antonin Baudry’s two-part World War II epic about French military leader and statesman Charles de Gaulle made its United States premiere at the American French Film Festival in Los Angeles. The €74 million production, which spans more than five hours total across its two installments, received a seven-minute standing ovation after playing back-to-back to packed audiences at the DGA Theater.

Distributed in the U.S. by Samuel Goldwyn Films, the biographical epic features Simon Abkarian as Charles de Gaulle, Simon Russell Beale as Winston Churchill, and Campbell Scott as Franklin D. Roosevelt. Following a modest start in France that eventually grew into a major domestic box-office success with over six million tickets sold, the project is expanding internationally. Its first part, titled "De Gaulle: Resistance," has become the highest-grossing French-language film of the year in the United Kingdom and has also secured a rare release in China scheduled for late November.

In the U.S., the distributor is rolling out the theatrical run across major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Austin, Minneapolis, Houston, and Atlanta, while simultaneously releasing the films nationwide on transactional VOD. The second installment, "De Gaulle: Liberty," is slated for an early December release. Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films expressed confidence that the sweeping historical drama can resonate with American viewers despite the protagonist being a foreign historical figure.

"The films have proven themselves, and audiences are audiences, whether they’re American or French," Goldwyn said, adding that World War II serves as an accessible entry point for U.S. viewers. While American and British audiences are well-versed in narratives centered around Roosevelt and Churchill, Goldwyn noted that De Gaulle's story remains relatively untold in the U.S. He described the cinematic scope as comparable to epics like "The Odyssey," while emphasizing that the narrative relies heavily on an intimate character study rather than mere war effects.

The films challenge traditional American and British narratives of the Second World War by shedding light on the friction between De Gaulle, Churchill, and Roosevelt. Co-writer and director Antonin Baudry and co-screenwriter Bérénice Vila reviewed more than 150 books and historical archives to trace the general's evolution from an isolated officer in 1940 to the head of the French Resistance. Baudry noted that the complex political dynamics and differing conceptions of war among the three leaders remain largely obscure outside academic circles.

For the demanding lead role, Baudry selected Abkarian, an experienced theater and film actor who spent roughly six months preparing to capture De Gaulle's distinct voice, rigid posture, and delivery. Abkarian stated that he sought to evoke the general rather than imitate him strictly through anthropology, working closely with the director to explore the musicality and logic of De Gaulle's speeches. He believes the leader's struggle against adversity and his sense of nobility may resonate strongly with American democratic convictions.

Concurrently, the legacy of the historic French leader was recently honored in France during a commemoration marking the 56th anniversary of his death. Civil and military authorities, student representatives, and local organizations gathered at Blossac Park in Poitiers to pay tribute to the wartime leader and founder of the French Fifth Republic, underscoring his enduring historical footprint.