Max (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Set during World War II, Max presents a confined psychological confrontation between French Resistance leader Jean Moulin and Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie. Written and directed by Adrien Boublil, the 20-minute French historical drama features Fabrizio Rongione and Martin Swabey in its central roles.

Max is a 2026 French historical drama set during World War II. Its story centers on a high-stakes confrontation between Jean Moulin, a leading figure in the French Resistance, and Klaus Barbie, the Gestapo chief.

Written and directed by Adrien Boublil, the film has a compact 20-minute runtime and uses a sealed room as the setting for its central psychological conflict. Fabrizio Rongione plays Jean Moulin “Max,” while Martin Swabey portrays Klaus Barbie.

Max movie details

Story without spoilers

The film takes place in a sealed room during World War II, where Jean Moulin and Klaus Barbie face one another in a brutal psychological duel. Moulin is identified as the leader of the French Resistance, while Barbie serves as the Chief of the Gestapo. The confined premise places the historical figures at the center of an intense dramatic standoff without revealing how it develops or concludes.

What to expect

Max is positioned as a short, focused historical drama rather than a large-scale war production. Its 20-minute length and single sealed-room premise suggest a concentrated narrative built around dialogue, pressure and the opposing positions of its two central figures. The film is spoken in French and German, reflecting its French setting and German character context.

Cast and creative team

Fabrizio Rongione leads the cast as Jean Moulin “Max,” with Martin Swabey playing Klaus Barbie. Sylvain Baumann and Noé Besin appear as German Soldier #1 and German Soldier #2. The supporting cast also includes Ludovic Berthillot as Le Sommelier, Dominique Vannod as Regina Barbie, Romain Vannod as Klaus-Georg Barbie and Cyrille Mairesse as Ursula Barbie.

Adrien Boublil serves as both director and writer. The film is produced by Prosh.

• Martin Swabey as Klaus Barbie
• Fabrizio Rongione as Jean Moulin "Max"
• Sylvain Baumann as German Soldier #1
• Noé Besin as German Soldier #2
• Ludovic Berthillot as Le Sommelier
• Dominique Vannod as Regina Barbie
• Romain Vannod as Klaus-Georg Barbie
• Cyrille Mairesse as Ursula Barbie

Release and production context

Max is a 2026 production from France with a listed release date of November 1, 2026. It has a runtime of 20 minutes and is classified as a historical drama. The spoken languages are French and German, and the listed production company is Prosh.

Production companies: Prosh

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With its brief runtime, historical setting and tightly contained premise, Max focuses on a specific confrontation rather than presenting a broad account of World War II. The film’s subject, bilingual dialogue and central pairing give it a clear dramatic framework while leaving the details of the encounter to the film itself.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb