The Monopoly of Violence + A German Youth

As anger and resentment grow in the face of social inequalities, many citizen-led protests are being repressed with an ever-increasing violence. In THE MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE, David Dufresne gathers a panel of citizens to question, exchange and confront their views on the social order and the legitimacy of the use of force by the State.

In the 1960s, the young democracy of West Germany was embarrassed by its Nazi past, yet confirmed in its role as imperialist and capitalist society. The postwar generation, in direct conflict with their fathers, was trying to find its place. The student movement exploded in 1966. As the situation deteriorated, it radicalized those involved in a gradual escalation of violence and reprisals. A GERMAN YOUTH chronicles this radicalization, which gave birth to the Red Army Faction (RAF), a German revolutionary terrorist group founded notably by Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof. The film aims to question viewers on the significance of this revolutionary movement during its time, as well as its resonance for today’s society.