After ‘Son of Saul,’ László Nemes Returns to WWII With ‘Moulin’ and a Warning About Tyranny: ‘You Have to Choose Your Side’
Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes returns to Cannes with 'Moulin,' a WWII drama focusing on French Resistance hero Jean Moulin's final days and his confrontation with Nazi officer Klaus Barbie. The film, Nemes' first French-language feature, avoids biopic conventions and instead emphasizes moral and philosophical tensions during occupation. Drawing from his childhood under communist rule, Nemes presents a timely reflection on tyranny and the necessity of choosing a side in times of moral crisis.
- ▪'Moulin' centers on the last 10 days of Jean Moulin's life and his psychological clash with Klaus Barbie, known as the 'Butcher of Lyon.'
- ▪Gilles Lellouche portrays Jean Moulin and Lars Eidinger plays Klaus Barbie in a film that blends elements of spy thrillers with moral drama.
- ▪Nemes, director of 'Son of Saul,' aimed to portray both Moulin and Barbie as complex humans rather than one-dimensional heroes or villains.
- ▪The film was produced by Alain Goldman and is part of a broader trend of WWII-themed films at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
- ▪Nemes links his personal experiences under Hungary’s communist regime to his exploration of freedom and resistance in 'Moulin'.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Home Film Global May 17, 2026 2:39am PT After ‘Son of Saul,’ László Nemes Returns to WWII With ‘Moulin’ and a Warning About Tyranny: ‘You Have to Choose Your Side’ By Elsa Keslassy Plus Icon Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent @elsakeslassy Latest French Producer Sylvie Pialat Hits Cannes With New Projects by Pablo Fendrik, Felipe Gálvez and Hu Wei (EXCLUSIVE) 18 minutes ago ‘Slow Horses’ Banner See-Saw Signs $50 Million Multi-Year Film Financing Deal With Entourage Ventures (EXCLUSIVE) 12 hours ago Aubrey Plaza, Adam Driver, Vanessa Kirby and Matthew Broderick to Star in Kenneth Lonergan’s Drama ‘Tomorrow Is a Drag’ (EXCLUSIVE) 14 hours ago See All TF1 Production Eleven years after stunning Cannes with the searing Holocaust drama “Son of Saul,” which won the Grand Prix and went on…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Variety.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Variety
