Un village français

Un village français is a seven season revelation. Though it appears to be a story about people, it's really an allegorical tale about a nation. Each character represents a segment of the population that either lived through or was directly affected by the German occupation of France from 1940 through 1944. The hapless, the hopeless, the connivers, the accommodators, the victims and even those who embraced the NAZI ideology are all here in human form. As their story unfolds we learn...in vary nuanced lessons...that huge forces that rip away all that moors society and each of us to each other can't be summed up in a phrase or a song. That there's devastation, pain, denial, guilt and even redemption awaiting all of us when evil becomes authority. Other reviewers will tell you the story. But in truth Un village français is much more. And so well done that it might be the best thing ever to appear on the small screen. Watch it.

This is the Most extraordinary show I've ever seen in my 60 year life. The depth and evolution of the characters is flawless. The pain and guilt of the occupation is palpable and touched me in ways I never anticipated. While the show was wrenching at times to watch, I can't imagine a better rendition of such a painful and revelatory experience.

I can't recommend enough!

Postscript: Since finishing the series and writing this review, I've been searching for one word to describe the experience of Un Village Français....The word is haunting...

This TV show describes the life of ordinary people in a small town of rural France during the German occupation in WWII. It is extremely well documented, cleverly written and very well played. The great plus of this series is that it meticulously analyzes the mechanisms which brought some people to collaborate with the Germans and others to resist, without judging, without falling into easy generalizations. The treatment of the small communist cell's actions is particularly spot on. I highly recommend this show to anyone interested in WWII, and anyone who wants to understand life during a war, and how good people can come to serve a fascist regime.

I wasn't sure about watching this series but I was really hooked by Episode 3 of the first season. However, a couple of my favorite French stars, Thierry Godard and Audrey Fleurot, drew me to the series. It was well worth it. I just completed the last season and have since purchased the entire series. I have never done that before.

The story behind the citizens of the town is intriguing all through their lives and to the final episodes as I watched them decline in health and appearance. It is a fascinating story of the Occupation and how the war affected these citizens of an obscure French village. Viewers were introduced to the harsh reality of war in France if you watched "Band of Brothers" but this shows the sorrow, death and troubling decisions citizens had to make as the war and occupation moved on.

I recommend this to all viewers. Yes, it takes a lot of time to watch it but it is worth it.

Un village français explores the intricacies and horrors of living under German occupation during WWII. The writers deal with the delicate issues of collaboration and resistance beautifully, without judgement or criticism, which made me think about how I may have behaved/reacted in the villagers situation.

The writers were very wise to make a TV series rather than a film or mini-series as it just wouldn't be possible to get a genuine feel for the occupation in a couple of hours. I recently watched Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter (2013) and found that 270 minutes was just not long enough to really understand the German experience of WWII, and left me with more questions.

It is so nice and refreshing to see a French spoken series about French people, instead of British series about French people! (e.g Maigret with Michael Gambon or Monsignor Renard with John Thaw). I really hope this series get the international acclaim it deserves! 10/10 from me.