Paul, a teenager in the underground scene of early-nineties Paris, forms a DJ collective with his friends and together they plunge into the nightlife of sex, drugs, and endless music.
Direction
Hansen-Løve's time-lapse genius—years collapse in single scenes.
Score
French house deep cuts, plus THAT Daft Punk rooftop set.
Acting
De Givry's hollow-eyed charm makes self-destruction weirdly relatable.
Director
Mia Hansen-Løve
Félix de Givry
Paul Vallée
Pauline Étienne
Louise
Vincent Macaigne
Arnaud
Golshifteh Farahani
Yasmin
Hugo Conzelmann
Stan
Greta Gerwig
Julia
Zita Hanrot
Anaïs
Vincent Lacoste
Thomas Bangalter
Roman Kolinka
Cyril
Ugo Bienvenu
Quentin
Arnaud Azoulay
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Paul Spera
Guillaume (Respect)
Arsinée Khanjian
La mère de Paul
Juliette Lamet
La soeur de Paul
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Mia Hansen-Løve based Paul's story on her brother Sven, an actual French house DJ who co-wrote the screenplay and makes a cameo.
The film's title references both paradise lost and the iconic 90s NYC club, capturing how French rave culture imported and mutated American underground scenes.
FR
