Film screening and discussion: A German Youth directed by Jean-Gabriel Périot
On 14 November 2025, Villa Arson is organising a screening and discussion of the film Une jeunesse allemande (A German Youth) in the presence of director Jean-Gabriel Périot.
The Red Army Faction (RAF), a far-left terrorist organisation also known as the ‘Baader gang’ or ‘Baader-Meinhof group’, operated in Germany in the 1970s. Its members, who believed in the power of imagery, initially expressed their militancy through artistic, media and cinematographic actions. But when these failed to have the desired impact, they became more radical, turning to armed struggle and committing deadly attacks that contributed to the climate of social and political violence during the ‘Years of Lead’.
Length : 1 hour 33 minutes
Jean-Gabriel Périot
Born in France in 1974, Jean-Gabriel Périot has directed numerous short films that blur the lines between documentary, experimental and fiction. He has developed a highly personal editing style, exploring violence and history through film and photographic archives. His films have won awards at numerous festivals around the world.
His first feature film, German Youth, opened the Panorama section at the 2015 Berlinale before being released in German, Swiss and French cinemas and winning several awards. His first feature film, Summer Lights, premiered at the San Sebastián Film Festival and was released in France in the summer of 2017. The documentary Nos Défaites was presented at the Forum during the 2019 Berlinale. Then Retour à Reims [Fragments], adapted from the book by Didier Eribon and starring Adèle Haenel, was selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2021, was released in cinemas in 2022 and won the César Award for Best Documentary in 2023.
His most recent film is Facing Darkness — original title: Remembering a City. It was produced in France, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2023, then was released in France on 13 November 2024. The documentary looks back at the siege of Sarajevo (1992–1996) through the eyes of five young filmmakers who filmed the war and, thirty years later, revisit their images to question memory and the power of cinema in the face of violence.
Practical information
Friday 14 November from 5pm
Free admission
Grand Amphitheatre, Villa Arson
Address: Villa Arson, 20 Av. Stephen Liegeard, 06100 Nice