Raï is about a gang of youths in a Parisian suburb.This is the multicultural environment in which Mezz, Aziz, Laurent, Nordine, Poisson and the others have grown up. There is no future in Garges-les-Gonesses. Unemployment is high, drugs and violence are a part of everyday life. The opportunity to escape seems nonexistent.
Acting
Samy Naceri before Taxi — all nervous energy and barely contained rage.
Direction
Gilou shoots the banlieue like a documentary, zero romanticism.
Director
Thomas Gilou
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released months before La Haine, Rai got buried — but captures the same banlieue explosion with less poetry and more grime.
Tabatha Cash was a famous adult film star; this was her controversial mainstream crossover attempt.
FR
