OPTIMISM

Jean-Gabriel Périot, born April 23, 1974 in Bellac, is a French film director and editor, renowned for his innovative use of archive footage. Trained in traditional audiovisual techniques, he discovered his passion for found footage while working at the Centre Georges Pompidou, where he explored the narrative potential of archives. This style, which has left its mark on his work, can be seen in films such as Une jeunesse allemande and “Retour à Reims (Fragments)”, both nominated for a César award for best documentary. Périot questions history, memory and social violence, constructing an uncompromisingly political cinema. Using archive footage, he confronts viewers with raw realities, while letting the images speak for themselves. Influenced by the militant cinema of the 1920s-1930s and 1968, he favors a cinema of reflection and confrontation, where the viewer becomes the actor in his or her own interpretation. His films tackle themes as varied as police violence, labor and collective memory, with a unique visual style that questions our relationship with images and history.