Terror's Advocate

This insightful documentary, covering the career of one of the most controversial lawyers of our time, Jacques Vergès, was released to critical acclaim in 2007. Containing never-before-seen interviews, archival footage and news reports, this fascinating retrospective film provoked much discussion surrounding the moral ambiguity of a life spent legally defending some of the most unforgivable crimes on humanity.
The Oscar-nominated director, Barbet Schroeder (Single White Female, The Reversal of Fortune), delivers a shrewd portrait of Jacques Vergès, who talks candidly about his career and the cases he has worked on, which include the defence of international terrorists and activists, such as Nazi war criminal, Klaus Barbie, Khmer Rouge head of state, Khieu Samphan and renowned terrorist ‘Carlos the Jackal’. With close connections to the likes of Pol Pot and Slobodan Milošević, questions have arisen as to whether Vergès simply believes that everyone is entitled to a fair trial or if his beliefs go beyond that into the realms of empathy.
This astonishingly revealing documentary doesn’t necessarily answer these questions in a neat package, but instead encourages the audience to form their own opinion. It doesn’t endorse the choices this man has made, but it doesn’t apologise for them either.
Ultimately, it delivers a thorough and challenging insight into the life and times of a man who cannot fail to provoke a reaction. The film has certainly provoked a lot of debate and won recognition at various film festivals, including the Best Documentary award at the Césars.