The pride, pain and desperation of an educated African refugee family in France is portrayed with compassion and a sharp edge. For the college professor at the heart of this searching film, his loss of dignity is the most bitter pill.
Abbas, a college professor and father of two, seeks political asylum in France after fleeing the civil war that has raged in the Central African Republic since 2013. Widowed when his wife died in attempting to escape the country with him, he has since met Carole, who consoles him in his anguish at the French immigration system.
Two years of waiting finally elicit a response from the authorities. Everything he holds dear, including his hopes for both his future and those of his children, lie in their decision. Compelling performances from both lead actors, while director Haroun masterfully contrasts the intimacy of human relationships with the cold bureaucracy of a vast, impersonal system.
A deeply felt, compassionate film about refugees who find that one of their bitterest abasements is the loss of dignity and status. – The Guardian ★★★★
A jolting drama with the most shocking scene of the year. – The Irish Times ★★★★
The film builds toward an explicit condemnation of Europe’s handling of the refugee crisis, encouraging the viewer’s fury at the family’s forced circumstances. – The New York Times
Warm and subtly heartbreaking, offering a moving vision of life for those stuck in legal and emotional limbo. – The Hollywood Reporter
France, 2017 | Language: France | 100 minutes | Cert: 12A
Director: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Cast: Eriq Ebouaney, Sandrine Bonnaire, Aalayna Lys, Bibi Tanga, Ibrahim Burama Darboe
