Inspired by the 2005 riots in Paris, Les Misérables – directed by Ladj Ly – follows Stéphane, a recent transplant to the impoverished suburb of Montfermeil, as he joins the local anti-crime squad. Working alongside his unscrupulous colleagues Chris and Gwada, Stéphane struggles to maintain order amidst the mounting tensions between local gangs. When an arrest turns unexpectedly violent, the three officers must reckon with the aftermath and keep the neighborhood from spiraling out of control.
Academy Award Nominee, Best International Feature Film, 2020
A wild and electrifying modern French drama…better than La Haine, more incendiary than Do the Right Thing. – Irish Times ★★★★★
The ghosts of Victor Hugo’s downtrodden 19th-century rebels haunt Ladj Ly’s César-winning contemporary urban drama, a streetwise tale of France’s dispossessed masses, brought once again to the brink of rebellion. – The Guardian ★★★★
A cross between The Wire, Do the Right Thing and Training Day, Les Misérables is brilliantly paced, unbearably tense and a reminder that there are so many great actors who go under the radar. – RTE ★★★★★
New York Times interview with director Ladj Ly: A Movie Torn From the Pages of His Life.
88% Rotten Tomatoes
France, 2019 | Language: French, Bambara | 104 minutes | Cert: CLUB
Director: Ladj Ly
Cast: Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djebril Zonga, Issa Perica, Al-Hassan Ly
Foreign language films are subtitled. Cert CLUB for over 18s.
