Z (1969)

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writers:

Vasilis Vasilikos (novel)
Jorge Semprún (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

8 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Following the murder of a prominent leftist, an investigator tries to uncover the truth while government officials attempt to cover up their roles.

Plot Keywords:

Cover Up | Government | Liberal | Greece | Demonstration

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Yves Montand	...	The Deputy
Irene Papas	...	Helene, the Deputy's wife
Jean-Louis Trintignant	...	The Examining Magistrate
Jacques Perrin	...	Photojournalist
Charles Denner	...	Manuel
François Périer	...	Public Prosecutor
Pierre Dux	...	The General
Georges Géret	...	Nick (as Georges Geret)
Bernard Fresson	...	Matt
Marcel Bozzuffi	...	Vago (as Marcel Bozzufi)
Julien Guiomar	...	The Colonel
Magali Noël	...	Nick's Sister
Renato Salvatori	...	Yago
Habib Reda
Clotilde Joano	...	Shoula (as Clotilde Joanno)
Maurice Baquet	...	The Bald Man
Sid Ahmed Agoumi
Allel El Mouhib
Hassan Hassani	...	The General's Chaffeur
Gérard Darrieu	...	Baron
Jean Bouise	...	Georges Pirou
Jean-Pierre Miquel	...	Pierre
Van Doude	...	The Hospital Director
Jean Dasté	...	Illya Coste (as Jean Daste)
Jean-François Gobbi	...	Jimmy the Boxer
Guy Mairesse	...	Dumas
Andrée Tainsy	...	Nick's Mother
Eva Simonet	...	Niki
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
François Chaumette	...	(voice)
José Artur	...	Newspaper Editor (uncredited)
Raoul Coutard	...	The english surgeon (uncredited)
Bob de Bragelonne	...	Undersecretary of State (uncredited)
Steve Gadler	...	English Photographer (uncredited)
Gabriel Jabbour	...	Bozzini (uncredited)
Georges Rouquier	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Costa-Gavras

Writing credits
Vasilis Vasilikos		(novel) (as Vassili Vassilikos)
Jorge Semprún		(writer)
Costa-Gavras		uncredited

Produced by
Philippe d'Argila	....	associate producer
Jacques Perrin	....	delegate producer
Ahmed Rachedi	....	delegate producer
Eric Schlumberger	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Mikis Theodorakis

Cinematography by
Raoul Coutard

Film Editing by
Françoise Bonnot

Production Design by
Jacques D'Ovidio

Set Decoration by
Jacques D'Ovidio

Costume Design by
Piet Bolscher		(as Piet Bolsher)

Production Management
Mourad Bouchouchi	....	production manager
Hubert Mérial	....	production manager
Mohamed Ouled Moussa	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ghaouti Bendedouche	....	assistant director
Philippe Monnier	....	assistant director

Art Department
Iahemzizou Nour Eddine	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Michèle Boëhm	....	sound editor
Marie-Thérèse Boiché	....	assistant sound editor
Sidi Boumedienne Dahmane	....	sound engineer
Lionel de Souza	....	sound recordist
Jean Nény	....	sound engineer (as Jean Neny)
Alexandre Popovic	....	sound recordist
Alex Pront	....	sound engineer

Stunts
Yvan Chiffre	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Garcenot	....	camera operator (as Jean Garcennot)
Taibi Lamouri	....	camera operator
Georges Liron	....	camera operator

Music Department
Bernard Gérard	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Lionel de Souza	....	stage manager
Annie Maurel	....	script girl
Alexandre Popovic	....	stage manager
Jacques Monod	....	dubbing voice: Le procureur général (uncredited)
William Sabatier	....	dubbing voice: Yago (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Office National pour le Commerce et l'Industrie Cinématographique
• Reggane Films
• Valoria Films

Distributors

• Janus Films (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Rialto Pictures (2009) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1969) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Valoria Films (1969) (France) (theatrical)
• Alphaview Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1974) (USA) (TV) (English dubbed version)
• Cinema V (USA) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• KinoVista (2007) (Russia) (TV)
• Manga Films
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (all media) (re-issue)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Z ou l'anatomie d'un assassinat politique (France) (working title)

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

France | Algeria

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:(Banned) (1969 - 1976) | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 (re rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Algeria

Company:

Office National pour le Commerce et l'Industrie Cinématographique

Trivia:

"Z" is tied with the Fritz Lang movie M (1931) for the record for shortest movie title ever. Holds the record for the movie with the shortest title to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Quotes:

Examining Magistrate: Nom, prenom, profession.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Splendor (1989)

Soundtrack:

Messe Pour le Temps Présent--Psyché Rock

Greece under military rule

I would like to give a little history of Greece from WWII to the time when "Z" happens. The Greek people had successfully expelled the Nazis when English forces invaded the country and put the Nazi collaborators in power. The US army took over the effort in 1947, rounding up thousands of people and putting them in reeducation camps. By 1949, the "civil war" was over, with Greece under military rule.

Then, the story portrayed in "Z". Dr. Gregorios Lambrakis was beginning to speak for the people, when the junta gunned him down. In "Z", we get to see the investigation into the murder, exposing how the generals orchestrated it. They never say that the movie happens in Greece (although it clearly does), and more than simply a look at the CIA-installed regime that was ruling Greece from 1967 to 1974, it's a reminder of all totalitarian governments in the world. "Z" will very likely chill you.