François Mitterrand
Known for Acting · 63 credits
- Born
- 1916-10-26
- Died
- 1996-01-08
- Place of birth
- Jarnac, Charente, France
Biography
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand (26 October 1916 – 8 January 1996) was a French politician and statesman who served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, the longest holder of that position in the history of France. As a former Socialist Party First Secretary, he was the first left-wing politician to assume the presidency under the Fifth Republic.
Due to family influences, Mitterrand started his political life on the Catholic nationalist right. He served under the Vichy regime during its earlier years. Subsequently, he joined the Resistance, moved to the left, and held ministerial office several times under the Fourth Republic. Mitterrand opposed Charles de Gaulle's establishment of the Fifth Republic. Although at times a politically isolated figure, he outmanoeuvred rivals to become the left's standard bearer in the 1965 and 1974 presidential elections, before being elected president in the 1981 presidential election. He was re-elected in 1988 and remained in office until 1995.
Mitterrand invited the Communist Party into his first government, which was a controversial decision at the time. However, the Communists were boxed in as junior partners and, rather than taking advantage, saw their support eroded, eventually leaving the cabinet in 1984.
Early in his first term, Mitterrand followed a radical left-wing economic agenda, including nationalisation of key firms and the introduction of the 39-hour work week. He likewise pushed a progressive agenda with reforms such as the abolition of the death penalty, and the end of a government monopoly in radio and television broadcasting. He was also a strong promoter of French culture and implemented a range of "Grands Projets". However, faced with economic tensions, he soon abandoned his nationalization programme, in favour of austerity and market liberalization policies. In 1985, he was faced with a major controversy after ordering the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, a Greenpeace vessel docked in Auckland. Later in 1991, he became the first French President to appoint a female prime minister, Édith Cresson. During his presidency, Mitterrand was twice forced by the loss of a parliamentary majority into "cohabitation governments" with conservative cabinets led, respectively, by Jacques Chirac (1986–1988), and Édouard Balladur (1993–1995).
Mitterrand’s foreign and defence policies built on those of his Gaullist predecessors, except in regard to their reluctance to support European integration, which he reversed. His partnership with German chancellor Helmut Kohl advanced European integration via the Maastricht Treaty, and he accepted German reunification.
Known For
TV Shows (15)
Vivement dimanche
1998
as Self (archive footage)
Apostrophes
1975
as Self
Le Grand Échiquier
1972
as Self
30 millions d'amis
1976
as Self
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
2022
as Self (archive footage)
Fashion !
2012
as Self (archive footage)
At War for Algeria
2022
as Self - Politician (archive footage)
Unveiling Arafat
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Télévision (histoires secrètes)
1996
as Self (archive footage)
Chernobyl: Inside the Meltdown
2026
as Self (archive footage)
L'Heure de vérité
1982
as self
François Mitterrand : le roman du pouvoir
2000
as Self (archive footage)
François Mitterrand : Conversations avec un Président
2001
as Self
Chili Impressions
1978
as Self
Rendez-vous avec François Mitterrand
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Movies (48)
Mr & Mme Adelman
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Laissez-faire
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
2014
as Self - Politician (archive footage)
La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président
2022
as Self (archive footage)
L'Amour Fou
2010
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mitterrand, président culturel
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Reporters
1981
as self
The Society of the Spectacle
1974
as Self (archive footage)
De Gaulle, the Last King of France
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Laboratory Greece
2019
as Self (archive footage)
1974, une partie de campagne
2002
as Self
10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ?
2021
as Self (archive footage)
La banlieue, c’est le paradis
2025
as Self (archive footage)
Statues Also Die
1953
as Self (archive footage)
The Revenge of Bernadette Chirac
2023
as Self (archive footage)
François Mitterrand, à bout portant : 1993-1996
2011
as Self (archive footage)
François Mitterrand & Anne Pingeot: Pieces of a Love Story
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Who Is Bernard Tapie?
2001
as Self
1958: Those Who Said No
2018
as Self (archive footage)
De Gaulle, le géant aux pieds d'argile
2012
as Self (archive footage)
De Charles de Gaulle à Emmanuel Macron, les gardiens de l'empire
2022
as Self (archive footage)
1974, l'alternance Giscard
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Congrès de Tours 1920: The Birth of the French Communist Party
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Entretien politique : Histoire et mode d'emploi
2020
as Self (archive footage)
Les vendredis d'Apostrophes
2015
as Self (archive footage)
TGV, génie français du rail
2022
as Self (archive footage)
The Incredible Mr. Piccoli
2017
as Self - Politician (archive footage)
Mitterrand, the impossible legacy
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Cérémonie d'ouverture des 16èmes Jeux Olympiques d'hiver à Albertville
1992
as Self
Mitterrand et la télé
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Dreyfus: The Intolerable Truth
1975
as Self
Gare du Nord : La Plus Grande Gare d'Europe
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Cent jours
2022
as Self
François Mitterrand et la guerre d'Algérie
2010
as Self (archive footage)
Danielle Mitterrand, une certaine idée de la France
2019
as Self (archive footage)
North Korea: A Plan to Survive
2023
as Self (archive footage)
10 mai 1981, le jour du grand soir
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Un peu, beaucoup, passionnément... Les Présidents et les Français
2019
as Self (archive footage)
François Mitterrand : Bâtisseur de mystères
2017
as Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
2016
as Self (archive footage)
Ziva Postec: The Editor Behind the Film Shoah
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Roland Dumas, le mauvais garçon de la république
2018
as self
Un mort à L'Elysée: François de Grossouvre
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Écoutez La Bourse Du Travail De Paris
1982
as Self (archive footage)
Promesses
1992
as Self (archive footage)
François Mitterrand, la maladie au secret
2015
as Self (archive footage)
La Malédiction de la Grande Arche
2023
as Self (archive) - President of the French Republic (1981-1995)
Owners of Portugal
2012
as Self - President of France (archive footage)
About François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand (26 October 1916 – 8 January 1996) was a French politician and statesman who served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, the longest holder of that position in the history of France. As a former Socialist Party First Secretary, he was the first left-wing politician to assume the presidency under the Fifth Republic. Due to family influences, Mitterrand started his political life on the Catholic nationalist right. He served under the Vichy regime during its earlier years. Subsequently, he joined the… With 63 credits spanning from 1953 to 2026, François Mitterrand has appeared in 48 films and 15 TV shows.
Fans searching for François Mitterrand movies, François Mitterrand filmography, or the latest projects starring François Mitterrand can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular François Mitterrand Movies
- Mr & Mme Adelman (2017) — as Self (archive footage)
- Laissez-faire (2015) — as Self (archive footage)
- Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles (2014) — as Self - Politician (archive footage)
- La TV des 70's : Quand Giscard était président (2022) — as Self (archive footage)
- L'Amour Fou (2010) — as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Where to Watch François Mitterrand Films
Most François Mitterrand movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring François Mitterrand, check our movies catalogue and browse page.