In a friendly and passionate dialogue, Doctor Augustin Masset (Kad Merad) and the writer Fabrice Toussaint (Denis Podalydès) confront, for the former, the end of life of his patients, and for the latter, his own fate. Carried away by a whirlwind of visits and encounters, both embark on a poignant journey between laughter and tears: a human adventure at the heart of all our lives.
With The Last Breath, Costa-Gavras offers a philosophical movie about the fear of death and the necessary acceptance of it in order to find serenity before life’s final act.
Learning to Die
I believe one can safely say that the terror of death and the total lack of preparation lead to the refusal of the inevitable, to the absolute nature of it. In other words, the human refusal to live as a mortal. This refusal, which is also circumvented by all religions, has not been fully accepted and has failed to create serenity. And that is exactly what is at the center of Costa-Gavras’s latest film.
But how can one learn to die? It’s not easy when the simple word “to die” creates discomfort. Today, we don’t say “he is dead,” but “he has passed away.” We don’t say “your father is dead, your mother is dead,” we say “your dad is gone.”
Augustin Masset (Kad Merad) with a patient
The question the director poses with The Last Breath is whether dignity can aid in the acceptance of death. Palliative care, whether at home or in the hospital, can play this role in supporting that dignity. Having experienced it with my grandfather, I sincerely believe that this type of care helps not only the dying person, but also loved ones in their acceptance.
By using dialogue rather than being flashy, Costa-Gavras brilliantly succeeds in reflecting on and prompting reflection on the issue.
Writing and Performance
A movie by Costa-Gavras is always more than a simple “film.” With The Last Breath, he offers a philosophical essay on the idea of dying with dignity and what that can bring to the dying person and their loved ones.
Here, moreover, the film was born following conversations with Régis Debray and Claude Grange, a philosopher and a doctor. But the question remains when one wants to make a movie on such a subject: how to approach the topic without falling into clichés and empty rhetoric?
It therefore begins with a fair and profound screenplay, and continues with masterful performances by Denis Podalydès and Kad Merad. Through his two characters, the director philosophically questions what care, support, and conversations are necessary to offer a peaceful and respectful end of life; how to find the balance between the emotional and psychological needs of the person who is leaving and their family; and what internal preparation is required for a serene departure.
By featuring this philosopher who is quietly sensing death approaching due to his progressive aging, while pairing him with a doctor who works in palliative care, the director can delve into the question both on a physical level (pain relief, bodily failure…) and on an emotional level (refusal to accept one’s own death, refusal of loved ones to let go of a relative who is ready…).
A little more…
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a background anxiety, intensified by climate concerns, has haunted the youth. This is not a peaceful fear, but the persistent and surprising feeling of a collective death, of an imminent end of the world. Even the youngest children are obsessed with the idea that not only their existence, but the existence of everyone, could end soon.
It is therefore important that we look into end-of-life questions, and a movie like The Last Breath could be an excellent starting point. That being said, it remains a difficult film. Not because of what is said or because the staging is heavy. It’s simply that watching and listening to people philosophize about the approach of death risks provoking the same questions in those who watch the film. Which is certainly not a bad thing in itself. But it is never easy to imagine that we may have passed the halfway point of our lives. Or even more…
On the other hand, it is also a film that is easy to watch and understand. You don’t leave with a heavy head and a scrambled brain. Just, perhaps, with wet eyes.
This is therefore a must-see film!
The Last Breath is being presented at the Cinefranco festival on November 12, 2025.
