PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EMBASSY OF FRANCE

In the pantheon of great French leaders, Charles de Gaulle can often be found near the top of the list – usually just behind Napoleon – but bafflingly has not received the big-screen treatment until now. This insightful biopic depicts a crucial period in de Gaulle’s life, beginning in May 1940 when the French army falls to the Nazis and Hitler seizes Paris. The panicked government considers accepting defeat, but recently promoted two-star General de Gaulle (Lambert Wilson) has a different idea.

Making his way to London to ask Winston Churchill for support in fighting back, de Gaulle sets in motion events that will change the course of history forever, even as he remains torn between his love for his country and his family. Meanwhile, with the enemy closing in, his wife (Isabelle Carré) and children embark on an exodus of their own to the French countryside to ensure their survival.