TRIBUTES AND RETROSPECTIVES

Raymon Depardon and Claudine Nougaret

1974, une partie de campagne

Raymond Depardon
1974 - France - 1h30

This documentary follows the campaign of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in his campaign in the 1974 presidential elections through to his election as President of the French Republic.

Originally entitled 50,81%, this film was commissioned from Raymond Depardon by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, then Minister of Economy and Finance. The two men agreed to construct a film on a long-haul campaign similar to American direct cinema, and in particular Primary by Richard Leacock, where he filmed Kennedy very closely. Despite the complicity between the two men, Giscard censored the film until 2002. Depardon says he cut his teeth with this film by shooting continuously and picking out little things, unexpected dialogues, stolen words. Giscard, obsessed with his age (he was very young for a politician), lived like a young lord of politics and was ready to show everything. He wanted to mark history with this film, even if, paradoxically, he is very detached, as he confided to Depardon: “I have another life. If I lose, I'll stop politics, I'll go hunting and take a trip around the world.”

CAST AND CREW

Cast : Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Charles Aznavour, Jacques Chirac, Philippe Clay, Dani, Alain Duhamel
Cinematography : Raymond Depardon
Sound : Bernard Ortion
Music : Bruno Zincone

Production : Palmeraie et Désert

French distributor : Palmeraie et désert