The Fundy Film Society

Carlos

Carlos

Olivier Assayas electrified the Cannes Film Festival with Carlos, his epic and definitive portrait of the notorious international terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal, who masterminded a wave of terror attacks in Europe and the Middle East in the ’70s and ’80s.

Co-written by Assayas and Dan Franck, Carlos illustrates the evolution of contemporary terrorism as it examines the life of its title character, a Venezuelan whose real name is Ilich Ramírez Sánchez.

Venezuelan actor Édgar Ramírez stars in the title role. “Ramirez, an actor of great vitality and conviction . . . speaks five languages, and in Carlos he performs dialogue in even more, as he functions in France, Spain, Germany, Egypt, Iraq, Russia and North Africa. (The film is largely in English, the international language of terrorism.) Without using any apparent makeup tricks, he successfully ages from a young hot-head to a middle-age “Syrian businessman” with a nice little pot belly.” Roger Erbert

Tracing the arc of Carlos’ criminal activities across two decades and several nations, the film features a dynamic cast of international talent and was shot in numerous countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Lebanon, and Morocco.

Fundy Film’s presentation is the 150 min version, one of three formats. The second “road-show version” in two parts totals 332 minutes. The full three-part miniseries, totaling 5 hours and 35 minutes, played on the Sundance Channel.

“A contradictory character, as violent as the times he embodies, Carlos is also an enigma. That is what we set out to resolve, at least partially.” Olivier Assayas, director

For an excellent full review check out Roger Ebert.