Every day, AlloCiné recommends a film to (re)watch on TV. Tonight: a shocking work about the suburbs!
Warning: scenes, comments or images may offend the sensitivity of viewers
It was undoubtedly one of the shock films of 2019. When it was released in theaters, Les Misérables, directed by Ladj Ly, caused a real earthquake. A work so strong that a French cinema star today regrets not having been there.
Les Miserables tells the story of Stéphane, just arrived from Cherbourg, who joins the Anti-Criminality Brigade of Montfermeil, in 93. He will meet his new teammates, Chris and Gwada, two experienced “Bacqueux” .
Stéphane then quickly discovers the tensions between the different groups in the neighborhood. While they find themselves overwhelmed during an arrest, a drone films their every move…
With this film about the suburbs, Ladj Ly, from the Kourtrajmé collective, tells a little about his life, his experiences, and those of his loved ones. “Everything in it is based on real-life experiences: the jubilation of the World Cup obviously, the arrival of the new cop in the neighborhood, the story of the drone…”he explains.
“For five years, with my camera, I filmed everything that was happening in the neighborhood, and especially the cops, I did copwatching”continues the filmmaker. “As soon as they landed, I took my camera and filmed them, until one day I caught a real blunder.
In the film, the story of the theft of the lion cub triggering the anger of the Gypsies who own the circus is also lived… I wanted to show all the incredible diversity that makes up the life of the neighborhoods. I still live in these neighborhoods, they are my life and I love filming there. This is my film set!”
With Les Miserables, Ladj Ly did not want to show “good kids against bad cops” or the contrary. He thus tried to film each character without passing judgment. “The Mayor has an educational side and at the same time a little villainous, the cops are the same, they are by turns nice, disgusting, human…”declares the filmmaker.
“We navigate a world so complex that it’s difficult to make brief and definitive judgments. Neighborhoods are powder kegs, there are clans, and despite everything, we all try to live together and we make sure that that Don’t go into a tailspin.”notes Ladj Ly. “I show that in the film, everyone’s little daily arrangements to get by.”
Les Miserables was the big winner at the 2020 César Awards with four awards including the Best Film statuette and the Audience Award. Ladj Ly’s feature film was finally a big public success with nearly 2.2 million spectators in French cinemas.
Tonight on TMC at 9:25 p.m.
The trailer for “Bâtiment 5”, the new film by Ladj Ly in theaters on December 6: