Z ****

Director: Costa-Gavras

Year: 1969

Book by: Vasilis Vasilikos

Adapted by: Jorge Semprún

Cinematographer: Raoul Coutard

A french-made political thriller made based on the true story of a political assassination and scandal that happened in Greece in 1967. The film takes place however, in an unnamed mediterranean city, with the actors speaking French, because the director wanted the people of democratic nations to take heed to the story and be warned that democracy can be threatened by nationalistic powers like the generals of this story, who squashed Greece's democracy from the inside out under the pretense of protecting national interests.

The scenes run together as they hurriedly reveal a broad assassination plot against a liberal leader put together by the nationalist military generals, and you'll cheer as the judge later investigating the case decides to defy the military authorities to stand up for justice... but then you'll be crushed to hear what later happened to the brave defenders of democracy at the hands of militaristic nationalistic leaders.

It is a great political thriller and will always be relevant to any democratic or democratically aspiring nation, there are those who do not want each individual to have a voice, and they are the ones who are rich and have power, those who lead militaries and police forces, corporations and governments. The enemies of democracies are the elite ruling class who do not want to see their power distributed among the masses.