Film and real-life legal woes fall on France’s far right

But the National Front’s behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to beef up its bank account has put it in the crosshairs of the law. Two top party officials and the party itself have been ordered to trial over allegedly hidden financing.

A movie set to open on Feb. 22 — two months before the first round of the election that ends with a runoff May 7 — also has gotten under the skin of party officials and fed what some view as their persecution complex.

National Front officials gasped when the trailer for the film, titled “Chez Nous” (“In Our Land”), appeared a week ago, There was little doubt the fictional far-right party in the story line was a thinly disguised version of their party.

Cries of “On est chez nous” (“We are in our land”) are a hallmark of National Front rallies. The movie is set in a small northern town much like Henin-Beaumont, Le Pen’s northern seat of power. The actress who plays the party’s leader is blonde, like Le Pen.

“Obviously, this is a film to combat the National Front, its voters, its officials, its militants, its candidates,” Le Pen said Friday during a meeting with the Anglo-American Press Association.

The movie by Belgian director Lucas Belvaux explores the dynamics of joining a far-right party. Belvaux told Europe 1 radio he was interested in exploring how bonds of loyalty are created and that it was up to viewers to judge if the film captures the National Front.

While dismissing “Chez Nous” as “a propaganda film hostile to the National Front,” party Secretary-General, Nicolas Bay said his main objection was what he said was public funding for the movie; a small portion of the film’s budget came from a French state-owned TV station.

“I think above all this film poses a problem of democratic functioning in our country,” Bay said.

For Le Pen, the same might be said of her knot of legal travails.

The French justice system has been investigating campaign financing arrangements for all elections since Le Pen became the National Front’s leader, from the 2012 presidential race to regional elections a year ago.

In a new legal blow, it was revealed last week that an unrelated investigation by French authorities concerning EU parliamentary aides that began nearly two years ago was pushed up a notch to a judicial inquiry.

“I think these are the old French methods — totally reprehensible, totally objectionable — when political powers instrumentalize the justice system to weigh on an election,” Le Pen told the Associated Press, noting the timing of the latest probe.

After an inquiry by Europe’s anti-fraud unit, the European Parliament, a pulpit for Le Pen, is itself trying to recover hundreds of thousands of euros in salaries paid to 19 National Front legislative aides for maintaining outside political activities. The aides include Le Pen’s body guard and cabinet director.

Le Pen claimed she has “proof of collusion” between the European anti-fraud office and the EU Parliament and plans to file a legal complaint. Her lawyer wasn’t available to provide details.

Far-right specialist Jean-Yves Camus said Le Pen’s legal travails may not diminish her appeal, at least to supporters.

“These are things that don’t touch National Front voters,” Camus said. “It doesn’t cancel out other reasons (to back her) like immigration, terrorism, security, the economic crisis.”

However, Le Pen is looking to capture new voters. That means appealing to the right and left to advance to the presidential runoff — and to set the stage for national legislative elections in June.

One thing is certain: she won’t be using “Chez Nous” as free campaign publicity.

“No, I won’t go see a film that I think will be a turkey,” Le Pen said.

Elaine Ganley, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Film and real-life legal woes fall on France’s far right

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