This gripping and wrenching thriller tells the story of Ilan Halimi who was kidnapped for ransom in a Paris suburb. His captors, who dub themselves The Gang of Barbarians, operate under the assumption that his Jewish heritage means he is worth a lot of money. Taking the audience through the harrowing experience of the Halimi family and sharing a searing insight into Ilan's vicious ordeal, the story tracks the massive but futile investigation doomed by near-misses and tragedy that triggered a national outcry. For 24 days the police, insistent upon handling the case as a normal for-ransom kidnapping, failed to recognize the anti-Semitic overtones of the abduction. Faithfully reenacting events from the view of the various characters, Tout, tout de suite raises troubling questions about the state of anti-Semitism and race relations in contemporary France.
Acting
Richard Berry's shattered patriarch will wreck you.
Direction
Berry refuses sensationalism, which makes it worse.
Writing
Multiple POVs expose how everyone failed simultaneously.
Director
Richard Berry
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The case sparked massive protests in France and became a flashpoint for debates about antisemitism in marginalized communities. Director Richard Berry was personally shaken by the 2006 events and spent years securing family cooperation.
The real 'Gang of Barbarians' included 27 people — the film condenses this but kept the actual ransom demands and phone call transcripts verbatim. Youssouf Fofana is currently serving life without parole.
FR
