Did Livia from “La Bataille de Gaulle” Really Exist? Unveiling Anamaria Vartolomei’s Role

“The Battle of Gaulle” parts one and two are currently making waves in cinemas. The film explores a segment of French history through the lens of General de Gaulle’s commitment. It features a host of characters, including historical figures such as Churchill, Roosevelt, Leclerc, and Moulin, and also shines a light on the lesser-known true story of Fernand, played by Florian Lesieur.

One of the significant characters is portrayed by Anamaria Vartolomei, in one of the film’s rare female roles. She plays a woman who forms a friendship with Fernand, presented as the Jewish sister of a Parisian high school student. At the beginning of the story, she lives alone with her brother and meets Fernand, with both representing the resistant youth.

Portraying the Resistant Youth

Regarding her role, Anamaria Vartolomei emphasizes the importance of depicting this youth on screen: “By portraying the resistant youth myself, I feel that Antonin Baudry has successfully brought to life a generation whose real impact and commitment to Free France are sometimes overlooked.

This part of history is crucial, perhaps a bit glossed over in textbooks, but I find it fascinating. For instance, I didn’t know that during the appeal of June 18, de Gaulle was addressing a crowd that, for the most part, did not follow him or believe in him at all. Among them were predominantly young people who saw him as a symbol of hope. It’s incredible to tell history from this perspective.

She adds: “The film addresses universal themes: the refusal to endure the world rather than be an actor in it, resistance against oppressors, the choice to risk one’s freedom in the face of injustice. These are eternal values, embedded in all of us, repeated throughout history. It’s invaluable to have such models to rely on. This desire to fight for collective freedom is fundamental. This is especially true for today’s youth: they will inhabit the world of tomorrow, so it’s crucial that they have the means to act.”

Livia, a Composite of Several Historical Heroines

Unlike most characters depicted in “The Battle of Gaulle,” Livia is not based on a real person. Instead, she is a composite of various personalities that have helped shape this character. “She is not inspired by a specific figure from World War II, Anamaria Vartolomei explains on the set of the show Quotidien. Antonin Baudry made her a symbol and put a face to the women in the shadows who played a crucial role in the Resistance and Free France. We can mention Lucie Aubrac, Germaine Tillion, and Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz.

She is also inspired by Daniel Cordier, Laure Diebold, and Simone Segouin, who is the armed figure of the Liberation of Paris, who was only 18 years old. Like Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle, portrayed by Fernand Lesieur in part one, she embodies the resistant youth who refuses injustice and for whom resistance is not a choice, but a necessity.

In an interview for the magazine Numéro, Anamaria Vartolomei mentions drawing on biographies of female resistors like Germaine Tillion, Lucie Aubrac, Berty Albrecht, and Danielle Casanova. She adds: “This allowed me to enrich the character of Livia and to place her within a broader reality of that era.“

“The Battle of Gaulle” parts one and two are currently in cinemas.