This May 8 at the cinema, find Max Boublil in a film which made the audience of Alpe d’Huez laugh as much as cry. Carried by its message of hope and its clever humor, Neuilly-Poissy reveals itself as the lovely surprise of this month of May. Focus.
What does it talk about ?
A schemer and smooth talker, navigating between his thriving business and his fulfilling family life, Daniel is a fulfilled man. But following financial embezzlement, he had to exchange his luxurious apartment in Neuilly overnight for a 9m2 cell in Poissy prison. From suit and tie to tracksuit and slides, the fall is brutal. Daniel finds himself lost in an environment whose codes he does not know. But that’s without counting on his chat, his humor and his innate sense of resourcefulness…
prison Break
It’s a nice surprise that spectators are invited to discover from May 8 at the cinema. Presented for the very first time during the 27th edition of the Alpe d’Huez Festival last January, Neuilly-Poissy captured the hearts of the public while triggering laughter and tears. Directed by Grégory Boutboul, to whom we owe the scripts for Public Friends, 30 Days Max and Andy, this comedy immerses us in Daniel’s story.
Played by Max Boublil at his best, this self-made man, owner of a successful restaurant chain, sees his dream life turn into a nightmare when he finds himself imprisoned. A prison universe that was close to the filmmaker’s heart, he who was lulled by films of the genre, but this time wanted to infuse it with comedy.
Copyright G.Boutboul – LATIKA 2024
“I’ve always loved prison movies – The escapees, In the name of the Father Or a prophet – and I dreamed of making mine, even if it had to be a comedy, a genre in which I am identified as an authorhe explains. So I started to do my research by reading books by prison directors, guards and prisoners and I came across the testimony of a Jewish chaplain who recounted how he found himself celebrating Jewish Easter with inmates. Jews, Muslims or S files. That’s the moment when I told myself that I had my starting point…”
Starting in the pure tradition of comic feature films with punchy lines and characteristic and endearing characters, Neuilly-Poissy finds its strength in its way of dealing with a sensitive subject, that of communities. Bringing a new and delicate look at this very sensitive theme, the film reveals itself as an ode to fraternity and sharing, and allows us to hope and even glimpse a reconciliation between religions.
Copyright G.Boutboul – LATIKA 2024
Yet a challenge that is oh so complicated to take on, especially in view of current events. “The writing took me several years. What is very disturbing is that there was a before and after October 7, 2023remembers Grégory Boutboul. What people who have already seen the film tell us is that it does them good by bringing a little perspective and humor in this climate of intercommunity tension. Everyone takes what they deserve, there is no preferential treatment and what dominates in the end is the notion of fraternity…”
Beyond the finesse of its writing and the singularity of its tone, Neuilly-Poissy stands out for its in-tune casting. Opposite Max Boublil, we find Steve Tientcheu and Malik Amraoui who light up the screen, just like Mélanie Bernier, Claudia Tagbo, Gérard Darmon and Gérard Jugnot.
Copyright G.Boutboul – LATIKA 2024
Neuilly-Poissy, currently and exclusively at the cinema.