Laszlo Nemes lionizes French resistance leader Jean Moulin in Cannes entry

Hungarian filmmaker Laszlo Nemes returned to Cannes competition on Sunday (May 17), with the historical drama “Moulin”, about France’s esteemed resistance leader.

Nemes explored the final days of Jean Moulin, who attempted to unify the underground resistance armies in France during World War 2.

Gilles Lellouche plays Moulin, opposite Lars Eidinger’s turn as Klaus Barbie, the so-called ‘Butcher of Lyon’ who tortured prisoners when he ran the Gestapo.

Moulin was arrested in June 1943, with speculation that he was betrayed by one of his fellow fighters. Nemes's scenes envision how Barbie's interrogation gradually wore down Moulin. 

Nemes, whose previous work has examined the Holocaust and the psychology of war prisoners, debuted in Cannes in 2015 with “Son of Saul”, which won the Grand Prix and later on the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He was on the festival jury in 2016.

“Moulin” is one of 22 films vying for the top prize the Palme d’Or, which will be awarded when the festival ends on May 23.

-Production: Oliver Barth, Will Russell, Michaela Cabrera/Reuters