Alive, the film which exposes the difficulties of the free press and investigative journalism

Alix Delaporte

Vivants, fiction by director Alix Delaporte, released in theaters on February 14, traces the life of a contemporary editorial team of journalists specializing in field reporting, working for a TV channel. A film focused on the difficulties of freely exercising the profession of information.  < /p>

This feature film highlights some of the obstacles that each journalist must face in the face of lack of independence, financial or political, and whose systematic expectations of profitability often bias information work. &amp ;nbsp;

The director, native of Chatou, in the Paris region, knows what she is talking about by co-writing Vivants. Alix Delaporte, a former journalist-cameraman, worked for the CAPA agency and Nulle Part Ailleurs on Canal +, knows the industry.  

C' is the evolution of both journalistic and audiovisual editorial staff over the last twenty years which is apparent here: pressure from hierarchical superiors in the face of ratings, difficulties in obtaining sufficient material resources (even for an experienced editorial staff), disinterest from the “Big boss ” for certain social subjects that are too relevant, lack of independence of journalists to ask questions that are too “touchy” to certain guests, etc. 

But it becomes juicy, when the director tackles one of the most taboo societal subjects in the media in France: the affairs of large stores (supermarkets, hypermarkets) illegally established, with the complicity of local or non-local elected officials and magistrates. Throughout the film, like a common thread, this affair appears, where we see the difficulty for a journalist to show the links between elected officials, and here, the Chinese mafia, “arranging” to allow the installation of 'a large surface area.  

Here we discover Alice Isaaz in the role of a young intern, who joins a close-knit group of journalists since their beginning, fifteen years ago.  

Proud of past reports, we quickly understand that the lack of allocated resources and the pressure of ratings, encourages the hierarchy to move on to other subjects, pushing the editor-in-chief, constantly under tension, to justify the deviations of his team as for political correctness.  

A film which tackles without taboo, but sometimes a little too briefly, a number of social and political subjects, through the reflections out loud of a team, from which we understand that restricted journalists cannot discuss these in the editorial office.  

Led mainly by Roschdy Zem (Indigenous, Roubaix, a light), Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming pool, Public Enemy No. 1) and Vincent Elbaz (Le Péril Jeune), the director was able to rely on an experienced team to find accuracy in the interpretation. The film is not intended to glorify journalists, but rather where we understand the importance of regaining a form of independence to publish correct work.  

Vivants, by Alix Delaporte, finds its place in a world where artists rarely discuss modern social and political issues. It also proves the importance of the voice of artists in highlighting what those who try, even a little, to describe our society, or even… to inform, experience.  &nbsp ;

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