Newly imprisoned, Malik el Dejebana, a 19-year old small-time criminal of Algerian descent, is an easy target for the white-haired Corsican mobster César Luciani, one of the prison’s established rulers, who orders him to kill another inmate if he doesn’t want to be killed himself.
It is the beginning of a ruthless education for Malik, but he learns quickly and soon rises through the prison’s intricate, partly ethnically defined hierarchies. Epic in its scale and gripping at every minute, the film pulls us into a complex parallel world where we want Malik to survive but also fear for his soul. A realistic critique of prisons, it is also a reflection on the corrosive effect and volatility of power.
After the screening screenwriter
Thomas Bidegain will be in conversation with screenwriter/ playwriter
Peter Straughan.
France / Italy 2009, colour, 155mins.
Directed by Jaqcues Audiard.
In collaboration with, and organised by EUNIC London and the Goethe-Institut London.
In association with the London Film School. Supported by the Institut français du Royaume-Uni.
Thomas Bidegain Biography
After starting his film career in distribution and production in the US and in France, Thomas Bidegain moved into screen writing in the 2000s, working with directors such as Marion Vernoux, Joachim Lafosse, and Bertrand Bonello.
His collaboration with director Jacques Audiard began with A Prophet (Un prophète), which won the César for best screenplay in 2009 and was nominated for a European film award in the same category. It continued with joined scripts for Audiard’s films Rust and Bone and Dheepan. While continuing as screen writer he has also proven himself as director with his debut Les Cowboys, which premiered at the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes in 2015.
Peter Straughan Biography
Peter Straughan has adapted The Goldfinch, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Donna Tartt for Warner Brothers and it will be directed by John Crowley this year. For Tomas Alfredson, Peter adapted Smiley's People based on the novel by John Le Carre for Working Title Films and the same creative team who made Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Academy Award nominated BAFTA winning). For television Peter is writing Berlin Noir for HBO produced by Playtone. Peter adapted Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall (Emmy nominated, BAFTA winning, Golden Globe winning) for BBC television. Peter’s other recent screenwriting credits include Frank (BIFA winning), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Our Brand is Crisis and The Debt.
Peter also wrote How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, The Men who stare at Goats, and a recent adaptation of A Christmas Carol for Working Title. He has written and directed two short films Gee Gee and Nosferatu in Love starring Mark Strong.
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