I Saw Ben Barka Get Killed
J’ai Vu Tuer Ben Barka
Serge Le Péron
France, Morocco | 2005 | 101mins | Colour | Subtitled

France, 1965: journalist Georges Figon, once in prison for his shady dealings, is attempting to establish himself in the Parisian art scene as a film producer. Figon is soon setting in motion plans to make a documentary about decolonisation, enlisting maverick auteur Georges Franju to direct. Told that his primary source for information will be the Moroccan revolutionary Ben Barka, Figon agrees to meet Barka in Paris, which turns out to be a trap – Barka is intercepted by Moroccan special agents and arrested.

The affair gains amplitude and soon escalates into a raging political scandal. Figon finds himself in over his head as he gets deeper involved in suspicious subcultures while all the time grappling with the moral repercussions of his involvement. Capturing the true spirit of the late sixties, the film is a heady mix of speculation and fact and combines stylish art direction with a film noir jazz-infused soundtrack.

The plot’s mix of high-brows, low-lives and film-biz glamour offers a brain-stretching buzz similar to L.A. Confidential – Variety