Official Selection out of Competition | France | French with subtitles in English and Arabic | 102 min
Ladj Ly’s explosive first feature follows Stéphane as he joins the Anti-Crime Brigade in Montfermeil of the Parisian suburbs. Alongside his new colleagues Chris and Gwada—both experienced members—his mind begins to quickly identify and analyze the escalating tensions between neighborhood gangs. During an arrest, the group finds itself overrun, as a drone hovers above, documenting their every movement and action. The film competed in the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, and was the joint winner of the Jury Prize.
Ladj Ly was born in 1978 in Mali. He began his career as an actor and member of Kourtrajmé, a collective created by directors Kim Chapiron and Romain Gavras. In 1997, he directed his short film Montfermeil Les Bosquets with the Kourtrajmé collective. He went on to work on 28 Millimeters (2004), 365 Days in Clichy-Montfermeil (2007), and 365 Days in Mali (2014). In 2017, he directed his short film Les Misérables (The Pitiful), which won the Canal+ Award at the 2018 ClermontFerrand Short Film Festival. Les Misérables is Ly’s first feature film, inspired by his original short. It was the joint winner of the Jury Prize at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival.
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