Benjamin is at war: with life, with adults, with himself. From his earliest childhood onwards, the 13-year old has been shunted from one care home to another. When his mother has to go to prison, he is sent to his father, whom he has never known. The man turns out to be a dead loss, a warehouseman who's given up on life, a man in his mid-40s who still lives with his Moroccan parents in a high-rise block in the banlieue. Benjamin's turbulence and violence soon prove too much for his new family.
Acting
Didier Michon's volcanic debut—genuine, terrifying, heartbreaking.
Direction
Ayouch lets scenes breathe until they suffocate you.
Director
Hicham Ayouch
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Didier Michon was discovered in a Parisian suburb with no acting experience; Ayouch cast him after one improvised screaming match.
The film sparked debate in France about its unflinching portrayal of Maghrebi-French families, with critics split between calling it essential truth and problematic spectacle.
FR
