Film depicts bold hostage negotiator Sarkozy

27/09/2007 12:23

By Kerstin Gehmlich

PARIS (Reuters) - A television documentary that portrays Nicolas Sarkozy as a bold negotiator during a hostage crisis 14 years ago has fuelled a debate about the French president’s domination of television and print media.

The film "H.B. Human Bomb", which some 3.4 million people watched on France 2 television on Tuesday, recounts how Sarkozy helped end a hostage crisis involving several children in the wealthy Paris suburb of Neuilly where he was mayor at the time.

Many French were glued to their television sets in May 1993 after a masked man who called himself "Human Bomb" held a nursery class and their teacher hostage for several hours.

Eric Schmitt threatened to detonate sticks of dynamite strapped to his body unless he received a ransom of 100 million French francs (10.7 million pounds).

The film, which mixes scenes played by actors, news archives and witness accounts, portrays Sarkozy adopting a bluff tone with Schmitt as he sought to secure the children’s release.

"Two children for two bags of dough," Sarkozy, played by actor Frederic Quiring, tells H.B., tilting his head and moving his hands abruptly in front of his chest -- gestures the president still often uses to defend his policies.

"It’s hard not to smile when watching Nicolas Sarkozy, then mayor .....continued below

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of Neuilly and budget minister, haggling like a carpet salesman with Eric Schmitt, the hostage-taker," the Le Parisien newspaper wrote.

The film by director Patrick Poubel recounts how H.B. released several children into Sarkozy’s arms. Police shot dead Schmitt when they stormed in almost two days into the drama.

However, the film has reignited the debate about Sarkozy’s constant presence on the nation’s television screens.

"And now, he’s being portrayed in docu-dramas," the 20minutes daily said on its website.

The opposition Socialists have already complained about Sarkozy’s domination of the airwaves to the CSA broadcasting watchdog, asking it to look at the amount of air time he enjoys.

A group calling itself Democracy in Television is so fed up with what it sees as a growing presidential personality cult it has urged media to respect a "Sarkozy Free Day" on November 30.

Commentators say Sarkozy’s omnipresence has caused rifts within the government, whose ministers are constantly overshadowed by the energetic head of state.

Despite the criticism, Sarkozy retains high poll ratings and his frequent television appearances have given the actor who played him ample opportunity to study his subject.

"I observed Nicolas Sarkozy a lot," Quiring told the Le Point news weekly. "It wasn’t too hard to find material because at the time of the filming, in February/March, he just started the presidential campaign and was everywhere in the media."