I won’t tell you about my own political opinions, but I’m not Gaullist in the sense of what the word means in the political sphere nowadays. However, I am 100 % sure that, deep down, that all French citizen is Gaullist in the sense of what the General de Gaulle represents for us.

Starting next week, you will see an entire programming devoted to De Gaulle on TV5Monde. It is after all, the 50^th anniversary of his death and the least we can do is to remember him, to talk about him to our kids, to tell his story. And it will be done on the network with no less than 4 documentary and a new TV series: De Gaulle, Éclat Et Le Secret. A very well-made show that we talk about in more details with its director, François Velle in the new episode of Rendez-Vous d’Amérique.

Watching the show reminded me how much of a solitary hero De Gaulle was. The guy left France at the beginning of the war all alone. And all alone, he would go on to give back hope to an entire country, build an entire network of soldiers and civilians to fight back, all alone, he would reinvent the concept of “France Libre,” a free France. After the war, you may agree or not with his political career, but never would you dare doubt his love for his country.

Yeah, I must say, that I have a certain admiration for the man. There has not been a lot of people like him. There still isn’t. At the end of our interview, François Velle says that in time of crisis, as the one we’re living today, we’d really need someone like De Gaulle, someone that unites people from all horizons to fight a common enemy.

This desire for unity is coming back more and more in our zeitgeist. Whether in the US, with Biden’s so inspirational speeches or in Europe with everyone trying to work together to fight the virus, it’s seems the idea of unity is coming back. It’s about freaking time!

But some are not convinced that it’s the only option. Maybe we should put them in front of TV5MONDE on December 8? Watching De Gaulle, Éclat Et Le Secret may inspire them.

To learn more about the 50^th anniversary commemoration of General Charles de Gaulle, as well as Francophone cultural events throughout America, tune to Rendez-vous d’Amérique on TV5MONDE USA. Clickherefor more information.

Exploring cultural diversity through documentaries, films, music, and beyond, Rendez-vous d'Amérique invites you on a journey to discover Francophone culture in America. Your host on this cultural experience is Didier Allouch - reporter, cinephile, and a familiar face on the red carpet. Click here to learn how you can subscribe to TV5MONDE USA and never miss an episode!