On 17 November 2025, the ECHR and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in partnership with the Club de la Presse, hosted a screening of Costa-Gavras’s acclaimed film “Z” at the cinema “Le Cosmos” in Strasbourg to mark the 75^th anniversary of the Convention.

Released in 1969, the film “Z” - which stands for «ζει» in Greek (“he lives”) - remains more relevant than ever, highlighting the fight for truth, justice, and democracy. Based on Vassilis Vassilikos’s novel “Z”, inspired by the assassination of Greek MP Grigoris Lambrakis in 1963, the film portrays the dynamics of political repression and complicity.

Mattias Guyomar, President of the ECHR, and Theodoros Rousopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, delivered opening remarks while the film’s director Costa-Gavras addressed the audience online from Athens. Following the screening, a Q&A session was held, moderated by Anka Wessang, Director of the Club de la Presse.