A Self-Made Hero 1997

The narrative unfolds predominantly in the present tense, interspersed with retrospective interview clips featuring the protagonist reflecting many years later on his past. Our main character, a young boy growing up in a quaint French town during the interwar period, begins his journey by weaving tales of imagination. As he transitions into a young man, he falls in love with a local girl, Anouk Grinberg, marries her, and embarks on a career under the guidance of her father.

With the liberation of France, he escapes to Paris, where a series of serendipitous meetings impart crucial lessons about survival tactics, including panhandling, relationships, and navigating the employment landscape. After the war concludes, he cunningly ingratiates himself with the Resistance, emulating the speech and expertise of true veterans, ultimately earning a reputation as a hero.

His newfound influence leads him to occupied Germany as a military observer, a position that unexpectedly forces him into a morally conflicting scenario where he must command the execution of a group of French defectors to the SS. This situation brings about a crisis of conscience, prompting him to reveal his fabrications. Following a brief stint in prison for an unrelated offense, he manages to rehabilitate his image, transforming into an international political figure of significance.