THE STATEMENT

Year: 2003
USA: Sony Pictures Classics
UK: Momentum Theatrical
Cast: Michael Caine, Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Northam, Alan Bates, John Boswall, Matt Craven, Frank Finlay, Ciaran Hinds, William Hutt, Noam Jenkins, David de Keyser, John Neville, Edward Petherbridge, Charlotte Rampling, Colin Salmon, Malcolm Sinclair, Peter Wight
Director: Norman Jewison
Countries: Canada / France
USA & UK: 120 mins
USA Rated: R for violence
UK Certificate: 12A contains moderate violence
USA Release Date: 12 December 2003
UK Release Date: 27 February 2004


Synopsis

At 5.00am on June 29, 1944, in Rillieux-la-Pape, France, seven Jews were executed.

This film is dedicated to those seven men and the 77 000 other French Jews that perished under the German occupation and the Vichy regime.

After France fell to Germany in 1940, the Vichy regime was set up under Marshal Petain. In 1943, the Vichy government created a military force called the Milice to carry out the orders of the Nazi occupiers.

When the war ended, many of those involved were prosecuted for war crimes.

Some got away. A few rose to power.

Set in modern day France, THE STATEMENT is the story of Pierre Brossard (Michael Caine) who, as a young man during World War II committed a heinous crime. Brossard has never been brought to trial and has lived a peaceful and anonymous life sheltered by right-wing elements within the Catholic Church. A new investigation into his crimes is launched by an ambitious judge (Tilda Swinton) and a scrupulous Colonel (Jeremy Northam). Even though Brossard manages to outwit the state investigation, he is simultaneously tracked by mysterious hit men. With two hunters on his heels, this Brossard must try to stay alive and find out who is after him.