Matt Pokora Addresses Controversy Over Oradour-sur-Glane TV Movie

The project marks Pokora’s second major acting role following his 2019 television film debut in Le Premier Oublié alongside Muriel Robin.

Historical Context and Production Background

The television film addresses the historical tragedy where residents of Oradour-sur-Glane were decimated by German SS forces. While the event previously inspired the 1975 film Le Vieux Fusil starring Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider, TF1’s production marks the first direct screen adaptation of the massacre. Because Oradour-sur-Glane operates as an official memorial site, production teams filmed the dramatic sequences in Belgium during 2025.

TF1 includes an introductory disclaimer noting that the fiction draws inspiration from real events while modifying certain elements and introducing invented characters for narrative purposes. To provide historical context, the network scheduled Stanislas Kraland’s documentary Oradour, un village martyr to broadcast immediately following the drama.

Addressing Pre-Broadcast Script Controversies

The project faced immediate opposition from victim descendants and local associations following its initial announcement. Critics expressed concern that production representatives had not consulted families before development and objected to specific storyline elements. In the script, the main character Philippe Gerbier—played by Matt Pokora—maintains connections to the Resistance.

Opponents argued that inserting Resistance elements into the narrative misrepresents history, as no resistance fighters operated in Oradour-sur-Glane during the real event. Critics suggested the plot choice could inadvertently lend weight to revisionist arguments by implying that the presence of hidden combatants justified the Nazi reprisal.

Matt Pokora Responds to Public Criticism

Discussing the genesis of the project with Sud Ouest, Matt Pokora explained that he began brainstorming historical subjects with his manager following the release of Le Premier Oublié.

With my manager, we were thinking about what to do next. I wanted to make a film that would have meaning for me, on a historical event. We started talking about Oradour-sur-Glane, of which I only had a vague idea. I looked into it and, talking around me, the majority of people from different generations had never heard of it. I thought that was pretty crazy. Since I am very attached to the duty of remembrance, we studied the subject precisely.

Matt Pokora

Seeking firsthand perspective, the singer visited the location and met Robert Hébras, the last surviving witness of the massacre.

We said to ourselves that we could launch the development of this TV movie, followed then by a shoot in Belgium.

Matt Pokora

Addressing the subsequent backlash, Pokora recalled the friction that occurred when the network released its promotional synopsis.

And we arrive at this famous episode where TF1’s press release announces the filming of the fiction and the letter, the next day, from associations who are afraid of what they saw in the summary. We therefore called them before the first day of filming. Pokora noted that after direct communication, participating parties reached an understanding, prompting him to return to Oradour-sur-Glane to explain his motivations directly to community members. Defending the ultimate value of the broadcast, the actor emphasized the educational potential of the project.

So, if the name Oradour resonates the day after the broadcast or in internet searches and if this increases visits and donations to maintain the village, it will be a great victory.

Matt Pokora