A Man of His Time

In 1940 Vichy, a penniless would-be ideologue peddles his self-published manifesto and ingratiates himself with the new regime, serving its machinery ever more adeptly as he seeks both relevance and refuge from his own collapse.

This historical comedy-drama follows Henri Marre, a broke and estranged 49-year-old who arrives alone in Vichy in September 1940 clutching copies of his self-published manifesto. Convinced of his rightful place in the new administration, he offers his patriotic convictions and an engineer's obsession with efficiency, doing whatever it takes to stay useful to the regime. Directed by Emmanuel Marre and led by Swann Arlaud, the film blends satire and drama as it probes whether Henri's true aim is saving France or escaping his own ruin.