This Wednesday, Alliance, one of the main police unions, invited the candidates for the presidential election to a “great oral” on security issues to which only the right, the far right and the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin (LREM) agreed to attend. North ferrythe film by Cédric Jimenez freely inspired by the story of three police officers questioned for their excesses in the northern districts of Marseille, must be screened as a preamble to the debate.
Asked by the Huffington Post, the director who, in October, had rebelled against the “political recovery” of his film, explained that he had not been warned in advance. This projection would be at the “sole initiative” of Alliance, assures Cédric Jimenez to our colleagues.
“That doesn’t mean I endorse her”
The director did not wish to react further “in order not to fuel” this “unfortunate political recovery”. And to add: “That does not mean that I endorse it. Quite the contrary”.
During its presentation at the Cannes Film Festival last summer, North ferry sparked controversy. At a press conference, an Irish journalist said he found the film “super”
but also said he was “embarrassed” “We are in an election year. I saw that with the eyes of a foreigner and I said to myself: maybe I’ll vote for Le Pen after that. (…) It’s a vision that we always have in the French media: the areas where you can’t pass, the areas outside civilization, the areas where you have to reimpose French law. »
“I don’t think the film is there to denounce areas of lawlessness and to stir up anger. On the contrary. I tell the anger because I chose the point of view of the police, “replied the director.
In October, Cédric Jimenez explained to France Inter that he had “not experienced well” the “political recovery” of his film by certain political figures since the release of Bac Nord in French theaters in mid-August. “I don’t agree with them at all, I don’t want to be associated with them. They do not represent our values. I do not want that North ferry serve their pseudo-security campaign. Eric Zemmour takes the bad example, he interprets the film in a bad way. He has only that to say? It is absurd. This gentleman is not serious. They use this film to say terrible things, with which I more than disagree, “he was indignant.
The left will not be present in the debate
Wednesday, North ferry will therefore be screened in the preamble to the debate of this “grand oral” on security issues. AFP reports that Valérie Pécresse (LR), Gérald Darmanin on behalf of putative LREM candidate Emmanuel Macron, Eric Zemmour (Reconquest!) and Marine Le Pen (RN) will be present. PS candidate Anne Hidalgo and communist Fabien Roussel declined the invitation, as did Yannick Jadot (EELV).
Jean-Luc Mélenchon (La France insoumise), he was not invited by Alliance. “What’s the point of discussing with a candidate who only advocates anti-cop hatred, police bashing [le fait de dénigrer la police] ? “, justified the secretary general of Alliance Fabien Vanhemelryck while saying “regret” the absence of the other left-wing candidates.
With just over 2.2 million admissions, North ferry was one of the biggest successes of French cinema in 2021. It ended in eighth position at the annual box office. The feature film has seven nominations for the next César. It is notably in the running for the trophy for best film and best director. But not for the best scenario.