Stay with newspaper reports.
VISAGE CAMPAIGN HQ
Same thing. They're not saying.
- Got news? - No.
Less than 200,000 votes between you two.
No firm will risk taking a poll.
Yeah, I'm listening!
I can't hear you. Speak louder. How many for Corsica?
OK. Call me back.
Nothing for the Lorraine region.
- The abstentions. - Never mind!
- What's the gap? - Marjorie's way ahead.
Between Anne Visage and us, it's 0.4%.
Too tight! We'll wait for all the polling stations to close.
Hello? Please stay on the line.
We're at Anne Visage's HQ. 1st round results will come in
any minute now. Tension's very high.
Lili, anything from Paris?
Shh! The polling firm...
Go ahead.
OK, I'll call you back.
I know.
We won!
We'll run against Marjorie in the 2nd round!
Deleuvre's defeated!
Champagne!
Champagne! Champagne!
I'm thinking about Pierre.
We're in the 2nd round!
I should go out there...
We're going to win! We're going to win!
I have the latest results.
Marjorie: 39. Visage: 22. Us: 21.5.
Half a point! Shit!
I'll give the results to those in charge at midnight.
How did we end up like this?
We were going full speed. Now we're going nowhere.
I held the country in my hands. I was in control
and we blew it!
How come we were beaten
by a bitch with no experience and no supporters?
She had Kapita to support her. We had his clone...
You're responsible for this! You smooth talker! False god!
You know nothing about politics! You just care about
-your own business! - Mind yours.
- I'll do that, but without you! - That's enough! Enough!
We lost, but it's not over.
That silly goose will need me.
The centrists can't give her their political base.
Who'll negotiate for her?
- I'd say Palissy. - And for us?
You'll do that yourself, but I'll be in command.
Find out what Kapita wants.
MEN IN THE SHADOWS
Every TV studio.
Government networks: Palissy and Petitjean in the foreground.
- Not Anne? - No candidates.
Got the press release we drafted last night?
In case we win or in case we lose?
Do you realize what's happening to me?
I have a 50% chance
of being president of the Republic in 2 weeks.
In 14 days.
Do you realize that you chose me
because you thought I could beat Deleuvre?
Yes, and I think you're the one most likely to beat Marjorie.
You're doing great.
You really think so?
I do.
Oddly, at times when it really matters,
whether it's victory or defeat,
we always go back in time,
as we do in love.
We wonder how we got to that point
and we reminisce and dwell on our fondest memories.
Remember, 6 weeks ago,
you were just back from New York.
I had just lost Pierre.
You convinced me
because of that state lie.
We never mentioned it...
Maybe we will.
Oh, we will! You can count on that.
Such disgrace must be made public.
Deleuvre will rally behind us for a price...
We're not there yet.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow's another day.
Will Anne make her announcement? TV reporters are here.
After Marjorie.
Stay put.
My kids. I'll take it.
Where's Valentine?
- We stop here, Valentine. - Stop what?
Let's not play a who-knows-what game.
Say I know everything. We'll decide from there.
I don't understand.
Your toxic substance: it's Ludo.
You told him things from our team,
things about Mali.
I set a trap.
The Nouvel Observateur and the fact
I'd back Marjorie in the 2nd round: trash! No one else knew.
I didn't give them the information.
Ludo did?
Why did you tell him?
Because I'm madly in love with him.
It all started when you were in New York.
I couldn't help it.
Actually, we got off to a bad start.
He had led me to believe... I thought...
Simon, he ditched me.
I tried leaving him.
When you asked me to work with Anne,
I seized that opportunity.
You saved my life.
I didn't really betray Anne.
I talked too much.
It's true.
What do you want me to do?
- Can I stay on your team? - No, you can't.
I'm sorry, Simon.
Lili's on the phone with that reporter from Le Monde.
This is Appoline Vremler.
We have a week left to prepare for our last meeting
and the debate with Marjorie.
What's on Anne's agenda?
Cannes this afternoon. Tomorrow, it's Rennes.
Lyon's our biggest meeting. How many people are expected?
-7.000. - Not enough!
Deleuvre said she was incompetent.
We'll show she was chosen by the nation.
- I need 15,000 people. - Impossible!
Deleuvre will have rallied behind us.
We'll have our supporters plus his.
- If we don't? - We'll lose.
So let's try. Joseph...
Reserve a hall at Eurexpo.
- It's not downtown. - It's close to the airport.
Pierre's last meet was there. It accommodates 15,000.
If few people come, it won't show.
- Your visitor's here. - Thanks.
Please wait in Anne's office. I'll be right there.
Thanks!
Come up.
Have a seat.
- It's your office? - Yes.
Yes?
France Info dodged the report, but they'll be in Cannes
for "Face The Audience" at 7 PM.
OK. Thanks.
The feds are here.
Tell them I'll be 15 min. late.
Will we be done in 15 min.?
With what?
What is it you want?
- Deleuvre sent me. - What for?
- To see how you're doing. - H0w we're doing?
Our team made it. Yours didn't.
You must be joking. You can't win without Deleuvre.
Our voters won't give her a blank check.
Your voters? You know nothing about voters, about elections...
I'm in no position to talk like that. You even less.
- You have to win Deleuvre over. - No, we don't.
Please send Palissy in.
Marjorie's at 39, Visage at 20.
- No, 22. - Same difference.
Without Deleuvre, she won't make it.
- Need me? - Do you know Ludovic Desmeuze?
Oh, I know him by reputation.
Deleuvre may want to join us.
It makes sense!
What's the guy asking for?
- A ministry. - Commensurate with his votes?
He wants to stay at Matignon.
Oh. Is that all?
- Yes, for starters. - You trained junior here?
I tried.
Tell him political dealings aren't drug deals.
You're done for, kid.
You too, without us.
Without a Deleuvre-Visage vote, Marjorie wins.
We won't be the ones lagging behind...
If we lose, Anne's leader of the Opposition.
Deleuvre can go play in the park.
- Good-bye, gentlemen. - Bye.
He'll do anything at all
to eat his mother up.
Or his father. Change the subject.
- A painful subject? - A touchy one.
Next time, Deleuvre won't send that greenhom to negotiate.
He'll send Guénelon. I'll see him myself.
Junior's making his way. We'll stop him cold.
- How? - Want to know?
- Only if I should. - You shouldn't.
I'll work with Gendre.
If she loses, Anne Visage wants to become
leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
- And if she becomes president? - I don't know.
Kapita feels neither he nor I
should discuss rallying.
He's right.
Your hands are too delicate to handle grime.
In any case, we have no choice.
- We must rally behind them. - No.
There's another solution.
- Mr. Marjorie? - Yes.
I'm in the hotel parking lot. I'll be right with you.
True, unless Deleuvre joins us,
our situation's not good.
It's very bad.
It doesn't mean we'll do anything.
The Democrats get 6 ministries, 2 of them cabinet ministries.
A promise isn't binding.
If Petitjean gets Matignon,
I can easily bring down the number of ministries
-we promised them. - They don't expect that.
Deleuvre wants Matignon.
He won't get it.
Can't you picture Deleuvre as our prime minister
with his whole team and his authority?
No!
No compromises on that.
- What else, then? - The presidency.
He'll be able to assess the government's actions.
If Petitjean's at Matignon, they'll deal with it.
- It's their problem! - They'll fight.
We won't heal their wounds.
Anne, time to go!
You'll talk to Guénelon tonight?
Yes.
The cop versus the pedophile: Great!
Have a nice meeting! You're tops!
Hi, Guénelon!
The last time we ran into each other,
I wasn't in a very good position.
Right!
Now it's the other way around.
Wrong!
- You're in trouble, Guenelon. - You too. We're both teetering.
Without us, your bitch goes down.
She's no ruler.
She'll need Deleuvre. Rightists must unite.
What should we do?
Until Deleuvre is heard,
you'll stay at 47-53.
If he joins you, you could start at 49-50.
Right now, Marjorie leads.
Seniors aren't happy?
You're not popular with them.
Being the president's mistress made Anne lose votes with them.
If Deleuvre waits too long, it's bad:
people will think he had no choice.
Look.
The curve keeps going down.
I don't know how to improve things.
You started off at a very low figure.
- We want Matignon. - You won't get it.
A difference of 150,000 votes is half a point.
For us, half a point makes a big difference.
So you have to beg. I'm thrilled about that.
Not so fast, Senator.
Our best offer's president of the National Assembly.
Then you won't have our votes.
So, you'll let Marjorie have them?
A leftist? No!
In Assas, I came down hard on the leftists. I still do.
Deep red and light red wines are both red wines. I'll pass.
- What then? - The votes will be divided
and your candidate will be finished.
If Anne Visage loses, you'll be in the Opposition.
So will you.
- Bye, Senator. - Bye, Counselor.
They say Matignon's out of the question.
Then I'm through with them. Don't talk to them again.
They're holding a meeting in Lyon Saturday.
Go there, make peace with Anne Visage.
Why?
So the right, your camp, will win. We lost.
We must accept what Visage offers us!
No, we don't.
- Mr. Desmeuze is here. - Sh0w him in.
- You didn't fire him? - We can use him.
- Hello, Ludovic. - Hello.
What did you tell him?
Nothing. He's just bait.
- Is he good bait? - Excellent.
I've arranged a meeting with Alain Marjorie.
Perfect.
The Eurexpo hall might become available. They'll call us.
Call them. We want it.
- It's a big risk. - Right!
- H0w many locals can come? -3.000.
- We need 12,000 more. - They'll come.
- Where from? - Everywhere, even Lille.
Anne's from here.
- Transportation? - Trains.
- If Deleuvre doesn't come... - We'll see.
Forget 15,000!
Joseph, Claudia, arrange for transportation.
Send this message to the media: "Big meeting in Lyon Saturday."
Keep me posted on mobilization.
Let's g0!
That way. He's on the 2nd floor.
We're checking the place, sir.
- Mr. PM. - Are you alone?
Yes.
We have our advisors: Ludovic for you and Alexandra for me.
Congrats! You could be
-our next president. - Thank you.
Please have a seat.
$0?
If you wanted to meet with me
in absolute secrecy, you must have an offer to make.
I said it before: Philippe Deleuvre...
He'll say it himself.
I'm sorry.
But you'll be making a personal commitment,
not your advisor.
Under what conditions
could we work out a deal before the second round?
Meaning?
How could we help each other?
You're set to betray your camp, not me.
That's your view, but it can also be said
that the PM has France's best interests at heart.
- That's a cop-out. - Not really.
Visage doesn't have the mettle
to lead the country, which is why I'm here.
I agree with you, Mr. PM, but I fail to grasp...
...what you could offer me.
Unofficial support.
In return for...
I won't let Anne Visage be leader of the Opposition.
She could be: There will be general elections.
She could be a member of Parliament again
and president of your parliamentary team.
Here's what I'm offering:
I'll help you win this election
and you'll help me win the general elections.
I'll give our side a watchword: vote for Marjorie, not Visage.
And then?
In a couple of days, I'll supply a list of Parliament members
who support Anne Visage.
I'll also supply files on militants within our ranks.
The Prime Minister'll intervene to crush right-wing candidates
-in ridings that support Visage. - I understand.
You want to pull Chirac's move in '81.
Voilé.
That's part of the pact I'm submitting to you.
Also, give Petitjean
and those closest to the candidate a government position.
It'd be seen as a betrayal that would weaken Visage
if she ran for the presidency.
That's what I had understood also.
One more thing: I don't want any controversy
when I announce I'll run for the leadership.
All this to be leader of the Opposition.
And, I imagine, the first of my opponents in 5 years.
That's exactly right.
For the 2nd round, you no longer have a job.
Not this job.
Didn't you work with Kapita before?
- For 6 years. - You know him well?
Perhaps you can help us.
If we join forces,
we'll be at least as strong as he is.
It sounds like a great idea.
It's the best asset I can offer to fight Kapita.
- So? - The large hall is ours.
All the media will be there.
- Joseph? -14 high-speed trains,
10 planes, special trains...
Can we pay for that?
We'll ask EUR 10 per person and cover 15% of meeting costs.
- H0w much per meeting? - EUR 3 M.
Juliette, how many Website visitors?
At least 7,000.
It's a good start. I sent Eurexpo my instructions.
They're similar to what I gave them 2 years ago.
Malik, you're in charge of security.
- Starting when? - N0w.
- Fine. - What else?
I can't finish the speech until we know
-if Deleuvre joins us. - We don't know.
- We use what we have. - Or don't have.
Meeting's over!
Don't despair! Keep going! We'll get things done.
You have time to read?
I find it relaxing. It's the only thing that works.
How are you?
Like a person losing her status.
After the scandal resulting from Deleuvre's speech,
they fired me.
- I'm struggling... - Juliette told me.
Why didn't you want to see me before?
Because you're not my main concern, Simon.
My main concem's to find work and cover the 2nd round.
- I can help you. - You helped me!
You're the one who got me in this mess.
What would you like?
Two millennium cocktails, please.
Tomato juice for me. Thanks.
Make it two.
I don't know how you did it,
but you told people about my trip to Mali.
If I had gone there alone, I'd have found Jamie
and we'd both be better off.
When you came back, no one wanted you.
Except me, maybe.
Assess your situation:
You're really mad at Ludovic,
Anne Visage will drop you when she loses the elections
and Juliette...
You gave her a bed to screw in, so you're her god,
and her mentor since you gave her a job too.
But she's 20 now! It's OK!
What is it you want me to do? Leave again?
After you sign these papers.
What's this?
It's a petition for divorce
by consent.
I have friends coming over. Do you mind?
Keep the doors closed. I get up early tomorrow.
We had more than 40,000 visitors on our site today.
What people want to know
is when will Deleuvre start supporting Anne.
What's wrong?
Your morn wants to divorce me.
- That's good. - Think so?
Dad, it's a no-win situation.
After all, you left her before going to New York.
- No, she left rne. - You were seeing someone else.
When you came back, you didn't take her back.
- And you made her lose her job. - So everything's my fault?
Not everything, but almost everything.
We found a mic in Marjorie's hotel room after you left.
So we went looking for the recorder.
Did you find it?
Yes, in the glove compartment of a parked vehicle.
- Do you have the recording? - I have a memory card.
- Did you listen to it? - No.
Give it to me.
Is it the only one?
- No other recordings anywhere? - None.
Absolutely no one must know about this.
Yes, sir.
I'll decide what to do after I listen to the memory card.
Send me a bailiff.
TO L. DESMEUZES: WHO COULD'VE HIDDEN MICS AT MARJORIE'S PLACE?
AV OBVIOUSLY.
You OK?
If I'm elected, I'll take the metro.
I'm sick of airplanes!
We should discuss entering the 2nd round.
When? I have 2 meetings a day, some interviews...
Between meetings and at night.
Let people see you going about everyday business.
Your friends...
And even if you're reluctant,
you should introduce your children.
They'll be there tonight.
- In Paris? - No, Lyon.
I felt that, if they attended the meeting, it would help us.
You were reluctant...
At 22%, I changed my mind.
- Something for me to sign? - No, they're divorce papers.
- You're leaving Appoline? - She's leaving me.
Why? I thought you were...
It's impossible to live with me.
- That's for sure. - Why do you say that?
You're a mixture of softness and hardness.
No woman can live with that.
- No woman ever told me that. - You didn't want to hear it.
Why criticize my private life?
It's just a divorce, that's all!
You went through the same thing.
Not because he was impossible to live with,
but because I had a lover.
- Pierre? - No.
Pierre came into my life much later.
With my husband and with Pierre, I made love numerous times.
You probably did the same.
I don't understand why women can't behave the way men do.
What is it you don't understand here?
Where will you enter? Stage? Back of the room?
Back of the room.
We'll shoot the frenzied crowd and show that on huge screens.
Did you choose the music?
We'll supply a list.
We'll play "La Marseillaise" and end with
the slow tempo of a Beethoven sonata.
Fine. I'll be in my dressing room.
Rll be right with you.
Set up the equipment, please.
Our meeting with Alain Marjorie
was bugged and recorded.
- Everything? - Yes.
I listened to the recording.
- You have it? - I had it.
I erased it.
- Copies? - None.
- What about Marjorie? - We won't tell him.
But we should!
He'll say we broke in,
but we're giving him a decisive campaign argument,
which we can use too.
Anne Visage's team dares to bug her enemies' quarters.
How can you support a candidate who resorts to such tactics?
I added, "I chose Lyon because it's the historic capital
"of radicalism and the humanities."
- Edouard Herriot? - Younger folks hardly know him.
It's radical socialism.
That's OK. My parents were radical socialists.
Never mind Herriot and radical socialism!
We haven't heard from Deleuvre
and there's no way we can force his hand.
Claudia, read the part where Anne talks about Deleuvre.
"The prime minister and I
"come from the same political family,
"though our sympathies may differ.
"He remains true to his followers."
Make a mistake on purpose.
Say "untrue" instead of "true" and pretend you made a mistake.
"He remains untrue to his beliefs."
"Sorry! I mean 'true'."
Make a pause before and after "sorry."
Claudia, use sentences that made a hit before.
The best of previous speeches. Memorize them, face the press.
I'll write "Valid only if delivered" as usual?
Of course. Let's go and check the facilities.
- What are you doing here? - Waiting for you.
Can't you phone like everyone else?
- When it's me, you don't answer. - Why did you come?
You can't just come without asking first!
Why? Afraid I'll see you with another whore?
- So, you replaced me? - Stop it!
- I want to come back. - That's obvious...
I mean come back in the company.
I'm not working anywhere right now.
- You're lost... - Yep.
If you're not anywhere, then you're lost.
What do you want?
What do you expect to find here? Fix your clothes!
I'm here to turn tricks.
Let's do it, Ludovic.
You're crazy!
What are you doing?
Stop it! Stop!
Do me.
Let's do it.
There are busloads of people!
We'll reach 15,000 even without Deleuvre.
- Bravo! - Security blocked the doors?
- Yes. No one can enter. - Who speaks before I do?
- No one. - After?
No one. They all begged me to introduce you or speak last.
The crowd will applaud you.
- What about my children? - As planned...
They'll walk on stage during "La Marseillaise."
We arranged for security. Remember to walk very slowly
from the back of the hall to the stage.
Hug people and shake hands.
The make-up artist will wait in a makeshift booth.
She has 10 seconds for touch-ups.
You all know what political side I'm on.
Here, like everywhere else,
democracy dictates
that we stand out from everyone else,
on the one condition
that we respect the human, moral and political values
our republic was built on.
It's important to rne. If I'm elected...
I WANT YOU. I NEED YOU! CALL ME.
The prime minister and I
come from the same political family,
though our tactics and our sympathies
may differ greatly.
He is untrue...
I mean "true"
to his followers.
These followers are entitled
to diversification, but not division,
in order to meet everyone's needs.
WHO COULD'VE HIDDEN MICS AT MARJORIE'S PLACE?
AV OBVIOUSLY.
Simon Kapita. Please leave a message.
It's Valentine.
I searched the phone record of your former buddy, Ludo,
or rather Ludovic,
to check for other women.
I found a text message.
Anne's suspected of bugging Marjorie's quarters.
That's what it says.
That's all, Simon.
Please forgive me.
Thank you, everyone!
Anne Visage for president!
Long live France!
Thank you very much.
We will win!
Translatior]: M. Saint-Amaud Epilogue