Director: Audiard, Jacques

Key actors Rahim, Tahar; Arestrup, Niels; Bencherif, Adel

Year 2009

Language French / Arabic / Corsu (English sub.)

Certificate 18

Duration 148 mins

Country FR / IT

Genre Crime Theme

Format DVD

Graphicallly violent, BAFTA-winning prison drama from acclaimed French director Jacques Audiard ('Read My Lips', 'The Beat That My Heart Skipped').

Sentenced to six years in a brutal French prison, 19-year-old petty criminal Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) soon realises he has to learn the ropes if he is to survive. With the inmates mostly members of either Corsican or Arab gangs, Malik finds himself having to carry out a series of brutal rites of passage as the leader of the prison's Corsican gang Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup) orders him to carry out a number of 'missions' aimed at proving his allegiance. As Malik rises to the challenges he is set, gaining respect from his peers, and with his confidence and power growing, he begins to develop his own plans, placing him on a collision course with his gang boss.