The Last Mitterrand

The Last Mitterrand (French title: Le Promeneur du Champ de Mars) is a 2005 film directed by Robert Guédiguian depicting the final period in the life of an unnamed French President (but the English title suggests the president is François Mitterrand).

It is not clear why Mitterrand chose Benamou but the journalist has said they got on well and discussed life, women and literature.

When the resulting book appeared in 1997 however, Benamou was turned upon by many of Mitterrand's family and associates - even Pierre Bergé, who financed the Globe magazine called it a work of "absolute treachery" - and they would not help with the film.

Benamou, an Algerian born Sephardic Jew, asserted that he had not found Mitterrand anti-semitic either in his time in Vichy or afterwards, - something that Mitterrand, who sometimes spoke of 'le lobby juif', his term for some French Jews and their focus on his wartime record - had been accused of.

"[1] The film won a César award for Michel Bouquet in his role as Mitterrand.

Plaque at 9, avenue Frédéric-Le-Play in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Mitterrand could walk in the nearby Champ-de-Mars .