Les Bleus - Une autre histoire de France, 1996-2016

Les Bleus - Une autre histoire de France, 1996-2016 is a compelling documentary film that provides an insightful and comprehensive chronicle of the ups and downs of the French national football team from 1996 to 2016, spanning two decades fraught with remarkable victories, shocking defeats and occasional controversies.

Directed by David Dietz and Sonia Dauger, the movie dives deep into the intricate relationship between French football, society and politics, shining a light on prominent sociological issues over the years, including racism, identity, and national unity. The film begins by tracing back to France’s seminal victory in the 1996 European Championship, an event which stirred up patriotism and national pride. It then chronologically follows the team through the majestic victory in the 1998 World Cup, a tumultuous period in the 2000s that culminated in the team's 2010 strike in South Africa, up until the European Championship in 2016.

The documentary extensively features interviews with key personalities who have played a significant role in shaping up the team and who were directly or indirectly involved with French football. Interviews with famous players, coaches, politicians, historians and fans bring to life the spirit and passion associated with French Football. The variety of viewpoints and perspectives collected provides an enriched narrative, showing how football reflects the larger issues of society.

Les Bleus - Une autre histoire de France, 1996-2016 pushes the boundaries of being a typical sports documentary by intertwining the accounts of the action on the field and socio-political events happening off the field. Think of it as a historical narrative of France and societal attitudes, and football is its loudspeaker. The movie doesn’t shy away from shedding light on the complexities and dilemmas around aspects of racism, identity crisis, and the ever-challenging process of societal integration, utilizing the eventful journey of Les Bleus as a mirror to explore these topics.

A poignant part of the documentary is its treatment of Zinedine Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, who is hailed as a national hero following France's 1998 World Cup victory. Not only does it celebrate his success but it also addresses the racial tension, the dual identity of immigrant children and how it has played a role in the narratives of players like Zidane.

Then there is the 2010 World Cup, and the infamous player strike that brought the French team unprecedented, worldwide negative press. This event sparked a national outcry, with President Nicolas Sarkozy commenting that the players should remember their duty as national role models. It was a moment that reflected distressed relations between the team and the French public. The filmmakers reveal this incident as a distressing but inevitable escalation of underlying tensions, a result of years of disappointment, erratic leadership, and player dissension. Through the strike, the film lays bare the discord and tension that had been brewing underneath.

However, the movie does not wrap up on a bitter note. It chronicles France's progression up to UEFA Euro 2016, held in France, where an underdog French team reaches the final, and in cross expression, a young, multicultural team manages to uplift the spirits of the nation and restore the faith in Les Bleus. The filmmakers extend this narrative to depict how, after several embarrassing scandals and several disappointing early World Cup exits in the previous years, the new French team managed to infuse a fresh, rejuvenated spirit into a nation that had almost given up hope on their team.

Amassing an array of poignant and electrifying moments, documents, archival footage, and illuminating interviews, Les Bleus - Une autre histoire de France, 1996-2016 is a movie that sports lovers, sociopolitical enthusiasts, and general audiences alike can savor. It underlines the reality that football is more than just sports; it is a significant cultural entity that can shape and is shaped by society's core issues.