Humor to death, the documentary on Charlie Hebdo which puts freedom of expression at the center of the debate [critique]

Ten years after the attacks, and the demonstrations of support, France 4 is rebroadcasting this “sequel” to It’s hard to be loved by idiots.

On January 7, 2015, the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo was the victim of a terrorist attack which cost the lives of twelve people, including the greatest French press cartoonists, Cabu, Wolinski, Charb, Tignous and Honoré. The next day, a policewoman is killed in the street. On January 9, a new attack targeted Jews in France. Four hostages are murdered. This film is a tribute to all these victims.

The start of 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the assassination of five key cartoonists from the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo: Cabu, Tignous, Charb, Wolinski and Honoré. In all, twelve people lost their lives under gunfire from the Kouachi brothers, then five others were killed in the following two days.

At the end of 2015, Daniel and Emmanuel Leconte wanted to pay tribute to the victims of these bloody attacks with Humor to deatha film which continues their work of reflection on freedom of expression, this newspaper and its creators having been targeted following the publication of caricatures of Mohammed, which led to a trial in 2008 and threats.

The Lecontes retraced this affair in detail in a first documentary entitled It's hard to be loved by idiots. To design the one which will be rebroadcast this evening on France 4, and which is part of a larger program organized by France.TVthey reused extracts from this first film summarizing the affair, and added unused rushes, strong images of the republican marches organized in support of Charlie, as well as testimonies from survivors of the editorial staff, obviously shocked by these attacks.

First recommends them both to you: first here is our review of Humor to deathsince it is this one which will be rebroadcast this Thursday evening on television, followed by that of It's hard to be loved by idiots.

“Consisting of extracts (unpublished or not) from It's hard to be loved by idiotsdocumentary on the trial of the Charlie Hebdo caricatures released in 2008, Daniel Leconte and his son, Emmanuel, add images of the demonstrations following January 7 and the days that followed, collect the words of the survivors (Coco, Éric Portheault, Riss) and bring in sensible thinkers, like Élisabeth Badinter. This overview of events sets the record straight and freedom of expression at the center of the debate. He makes us cry, and laugh too. 2015 therefore does not end without the face, the voice, the jokes and the bad faith of all these journalists, cartoonists, authors, who we miss.”

“This documentary offers to follow live – with the addition of interviews carried out a posteriori – these legal days during which Philippe Val, the boss of Charlie Hebdo, had to respond to several Muslim organizations for the publication in his newspaper of caricatures deemed blasphemous Laborious at the beginning (the recall of the facts is too long), the film becomes fascinating as soon as the trial begins.

Daniel Leconte transforms the Salle des Pas Perdus into a theater stage where everyone plays their role to perfection. Master Malka, in the role of the good guy, and Master Szpiner, sly and feline, form a fascinating legal duel. But beyond the tricks and the oratorical jousts, It's hard to be loved… stands out above all as a fascinating reflection on freedom of expression, the fears it arouses and the risks it runs. Essential.”

When Cabu taught us to draw in Récré A2