Édgar Ramírez, Carlos

In an epic performance that spans decades and nearly six hours, Venezuela’s Édgar Ramírez charts the rise and fall of Carlos (Ilich Ramirez Sanchez), the notorious terrorist of the ‘70s and ‘80s in Olivier Assayas’s insightful, fast-paced drama. Shot digitally and shown on TV in its miniseries form and in a 150-minute theatrical version, Carlos prompted Ramirez to gain 35 pounds, speak five languages, and work virtually nonstop for months. The result is a performance that has been compared to Brando at his peak.

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