Point mort (1984)

A wounded ex-Formula 1 driver boards a flight to Italy, haunted by the manhunt that nearly killed him.

Point mort - Movie Information

  • Original Title: Point mort
  • Release Year: 1984
  • Directed by: Ody Roos
  • Type: Movie
  • Genres: Crime, Drama
  • Runtime: 1h 30m
  • Original Language: French
  • Release Date (Theatrical): June 6, 1984 (France)
  • Production Companies: Filmodie
  • Production Countries: France

Point mort - Plot

A man is shot down in a provincial airport. Despite his wounds he manages to drag himself to his plane bound for Italy, unaware that the killers are already waiting for him at his destination. During the flight he reminisces about the events that led him there. His name is Matou and he was a Formula 1 champion before being banned from racing circuits for causing a fatal accident. Matou ran away in the company of Lena, his employer's girlfriend. But while they were in the open country they got shot at by mysterious pursuers, which was the beginning of a wild manhunt.

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Point mort - Cast & Crew

Director(s)

  • Ody Roos

Main Cast

  • Christian François
  • Franca Maï
  • Janine Magnan
  • Claude Petit
  • James Sparrow

Writers

  • László Szabó

Producers

  • Clara Ford

Point mort - FAQs

What is Point mort about?

Point mort follows Matou, a disgraced Formula 1 champion who is shot at a provincial airport and boards a plane to Italy while wounded. During the flight, he recalls how he fled with his employer's girlfriend Lena and became the target of a relentless, mysterious manhunt through the French countryside.

Why was Matou banned from Formula 1 racing?

Matou was stripped of his racing career after causing a fatal accident on the circuit. That ban set his life on a downward spiral, eventually leading him to flee with Lena and stumble into a deadly conspiracy far more dangerous than anything he faced on the track.

Who directed Point mort and when was it released?

Point mort was directed by Ody Roos and released in France on June 6, 1984. It is a French production by Filmodie, running 90 minutes and blending crime thriller tension with a reflective, road-movie sensibility rooted in the French cinema of the early 1980s.

Who are the main actors in Point mort?

The film stars Christian François as Matou, the hunted ex-racing driver at the center of the story, alongside Franca Maï as Lena, the woman who flees with him. Janine Magnan, Claude Petit, and James Sparrow round out the principal cast in supporting roles.

Does Point mort use a non-linear storytelling structure?

Yes, the film unfolds through flashbacks. Matou, wounded and airborne, mentally retraces the chain of events that put him in danger. This in-flight reminiscence structure gives the narrative a tense, introspective quality, weaving together the present peril and the past choices that sealed his fate.

What genre is Point mort?

Point mort blends crime and drama. It carries the pulse of a chase thriller — mysterious pursuers, gunshots, a man on the run — while grounding itself in character study and personal regret. The result is a moody, European genre film with a distinctly French sensibility from the early 1980s.

What are some movies similar to Point mort?

If Point mort appeals to you, consider exploring Only the Animals (2019), Paris by Night (2012), Gangsters (2002), or Plunder Road (1957) for similarly tense crime narratives. True Believer (1989) and Winged Creatures (2009) also share that mix of moral complexity and thriller momentum.

Who wrote the screenplay for Point mort?

The screenplay for Point mort was written by László Szabó, a Hungarian-born actor and writer long associated with French cinema. The cinematography was handled by François About, whose work contributes to the film's road-weary, atmospheric visual tone.

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