A Man of His Time

Best Screenplay, Cannes 2026

Original language: French

Subtitles: Romanian, English

Directed by: Emmanuel Marre

Country: Belgium, France

Year of production: 2026

Length: 155 minutes

Genre: Historical Drama

September 1940. Henri Marre arrives alone in Vichy as the authoritarian regime settles in. Broke, estranged from his family, and carrying copies of his self-published manifesto Notre Salut (Our Salvation), the 49-year-old is determined to secure what he believes is his rightful place in the new administration. In his writing, Henri sets out his patriotic convictions and his engineer’s methodology: efficiency above all. Claiming he wants to help save France after defeat, he does whatever is required to remain useful, serving the machinery of the new order with increasing skill. But he may be pursuing something more urgent: escape from his own ruin.

Credits

Emmanuel Marre – Director

Emmanuel Marre – Script

Casting

Swann Arlaud

Sandrine Blancke

Mathieu Perotto

Harpo Guit

Mathilde Abd-El-Kader

Jean-Baptiste Marre