A Self Made Hero

A Self-Made Hero is a 1996 French film directed by Jacques Audiard. It is based on the novel by Jean-François Deniau. Synopsis Albert Dehousse has grown up on heroic novels, unfortunately his life isn't quite so exciting. Albert lives in a village in Northern France with his mother, who lives in memory of her husband, who she claims died a hero in the First World War. World War Two passes the pair by, as Albert is not called up as he is the only child of a war widow, denying him of his chance to become a hero. Having married the daughter of a member of the resistance, he leaves his family and his marriage for Paris where heroes are truly celebrated. About the film "Les vies les plus belles sont celles qu'on s'invente", (the most beautiful lives are those we invent) announces an older Albert Dehousse at the beginning of the film. Un héros très discret is a film which investigates the divide between fantasy and reality. Cast