1. C I N E M A S T U D I E S 5 1 4
Z
Political Film
2. Z
Z is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by
Costa Gavras. The film follows an investigator trying to
uncover the truth behind the assassination of a
prominent leftist Greek politician, while government
officials attempt to cover up their roles*
This presentation aims at analyzing some of the elements
used throughout the film to convey a political view point
while portraying the actual events. The scene used is a
meeting at an empty court room between the public
prosecutor and the investigating magistrate.
* (imdb).
3. This scene marks the first direct confrontation between the truth-seeking
investigator and his counter-figure, the public prosecutor, who represents a level of
outmost corruption, particularly because he should normally signify the essence of
justice and fairness.
The progression of the confrontation through the scene changes and shifts, and
closely follows the camera movement and mis-en-scene. Beginning with setting the
initial authority and power dynamics:
Opposite camera angles are used for the intro shots of the investigator (High Angle,
Wide Shot) and the prosecutor (Low Angle, Medium Close Up Shot).
4. The scene centers around the conflict
between the prosecutor and the
investigator. Being men of law, they
handle this verbose battle delicately,
dodging any direct allegations, and
handling their cards cautiously.
This is reflected accurately in the
camera movements and blocking;
The prosecutor keeps his standing
position, maintaining the barrier
between both of them, and more
importantly establishing an upper hand
by forcing eye-level dominance.
5. 1
2
3
A long tracking shot coincide with the
investigator beginning to reveal his
evidences of police corruption.
The shot proposes a shift in the power
scale, through changing perspective in a
way that gradually diminishes the space
in the frame that the prosecutor
occupies, in favor of the investigator
and the solid evidences he has on the
table between them.
6. Inserting a flashback scene within
the scene supports the evidences and
gives the investigator’s argument
certain credibility.
The shots immediately after the
flashback scene depict obvious power
shift, achieved mainly by crossing the
180° line established between both
men in all the previous shots.
In the same shot, the composition
traps the prosecutor within the door
frame, as well as between the other
characters.
7. The Prosecutor takes to a dramatic
move trying to escape the situation;
verbally by waving accusations at the
investigators, and literally by moving
to the other end of the court.
Yet such attempts goes in vain, the
weakness in the prosecutor’s logic is
too evident.
Even eye-level dominance is now
lost.
8. As the bad cop routine fails, the
prosecutor lays down his final card.
He moves beyond the barrier and
brings on his final bargain; a deal of
mutual compromises.
A clear two shot that puts both men
on the same level, matching the
conceptual value of the offer, it’s up
for the investigator at this point to
decide how the case shall go from
here.
9. The prosecutor’s bargain concludes
with: “But, you are the sole master
of your conscience, after God.”
The scene ends with a tilt down on
the carpets forming a cross on the
floor, echoing with the very next shot
of crosses hanging from the indicted
colonel’s suit.
This can be interpreted
as the director’s commentary on the
level of manipulation exercised by
this regime, which projects a
religious image while in fact -
behind that façade- it degrades
and steps on these religious symbols
and what they stand for.
