Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation – Hot Docs 2024
April 25 to May 5, 2024
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French filmmaker Emmanuel Reyé investigates the worst accident in the history of motor racing, which took the lives of two of his uncles in Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation. On June 11, 1955, during the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the Mercedes driven by French driver Pierre Levegh crashed into the stands, killing 82 and injuring a further 120. Emmanuel Reyé lost his uncles Claude and François during the accident and he tries to investigate to find answers to the lingering questions about the incident.
Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation Synopsis
Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation is an expose-type documentary directed by Emmanuel Reyé, who investigated the events leading up to the fatal 1955 crash during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is still one of the world’s most popular motor racing events. All the documents from the investigation are sealed until 2031, resulting in Emmanuel Reyé investigating on his own, going into details such as the rivalry between Mercedes and Jaguar and how the dangerous driving of Jaguar’s Mike Hawthorn was a possible cause for the crash.
My Thoughts on Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation
One error I made going into Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation, was believing that it involved the same fatal crash depicted in the film Ferrari, which instead occurred two years later. Since Emmanuel Reyé has a personal stake in the Le Mans 55 crash, it can be hard to call Le Mans 55: The Unauthorized Investigation a truly objective documentary, as a lot of the arguments can be interpreted as speculative. That said, fans of motor racing and/or true crime might find something to like out of this documentary.
