LES MISÉRABLES

Synopsis: In contemporary France, Stéphane recently joined the Anti-Crime Brigade in Montfermeil, the Paris suburbs where Victor Hugo had set his 1862 famed novel with the same title. Alongside his new colleagues Chris and Gwada, Stéphane quickly discovers tensions running high between neighbourhood gangs. When the trio find themselves overrun during an arrest, a drone captures every movement of the operation, setting in motion the events. Inspired by the 2005 Paris riots, “Les Misérables” exposes the tensions between the neighbourhood residents of the eastern suburb of Paris and the police department.

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Director’s biography: Ladj Ly was born in Mali and grew up in Montfermeil, east of Paris. Best known for his attention-grabbing web documentaries that depict the realities of social and political life. He began his career as an actor and member of Kourtrajmé, an artist collective created in 1995 by his childhood friends, directors Kim Chapiron and Romain Gavras. Ly went on to direct his first short film, “Montfermeil Les Bosquets” in 1997. After the 2005 Paris riots, Ly was triggered by the death of two youths, and decided to film his neighbourhood for a year to make a documentary entitled “365 Days in Clichy-Montfermeil” (2007).