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A Prophet

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A Prophet
File:AProphet poster.jpg
French-language poster
Directed byJacques Audiard
Written byJacques Audiard
Thomas Bidegain
Abdel Raouf Dafri
Nicolas Peufaillit
Produced byMartine Cassinelli
Antonin Dedet
StarringTahar Rahim
Niels Arestrup
Adel Bencherif
CinematographyStéphane Fontaine
Edited byJuliette Welfling
Music byAlexandre Desplat
Distributed byInternational:
Celluloid Dreams
France:
UGC Distribution
United States:
Sony Pictures Classics
Release dates
France:
16 May 2009 (2009-05-16)
(Cannes)
United States:
12 February 2010 (2010-02-12)
Running time
150 minutes
CountryTemplate:Film France
LanguagesFrench
Corsican
Arabic
Budget€ 12 million
Box office€ 15,779,122

A Prophet (French: Un prophète) is a 2009 French crime/drama/thriller film directed by Jacques Audiard. Audiard claims that the film aims at "creating icons, images for people who don't have images in movies, like the Arabs in France,"[1] though he also had stated that the film "has nothing to do with his vision of society," and is a work of fiction.[2]

The film was a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards, in 2010. It lost to the Argentine crime drama, The Secret in Their Eyes.

Plot

Sentenced to six years in a French prison for attacking police officers, petty criminal Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim), nineteen years old, French of Arab descent, is alone in the world and illiterate. On his arrival at prison, he quickly falls under the sway of a brutal Corsican mafia group, led by Cesar Luciani, who enforce their rule in the prison by controlling the guards. The prison is divided with racial tension between the Corsicans and Muslims. With no enemies or friends in prison, Malik attempts to survive the 6 years by remaining invisible to all sides. During the day he works as a tailor sewing jeans and spends his free time in a prison classroom studying Arabic, French, and economics.

Luciani complicates things for Malik when Reyeb, a criminal who became an informant against the Corsican mafia, arrives in France to testify in the Farraldo trial for a lesser sentence. Jacky Marcaggi, the Don of the Corsican mafia, sends a message requesting that Luciani eliminate Reyeb in the ten days before the trial. Reyeb isolates himself from non-Muslims in order to protect himself, making it impossible for Luciani or his men to kill him. While in a shower stall next to Malik's, Reyeb makes sexual advances toward Malik offering him hashish in return for oral sex. Disgusted, Malik leaves.

Luciani discovers Malik, an Arab who is not Muslim, and seizes this opportunity. Along with his right hand man Vettori, Luciani forces Malik by knife point to kill Reyeb in return for protection. Failure will cost Malik his life giving him no choice but to kill Reyeb. The plan is that Malik must kill his victim with a razor-blade concealed inside his mouth. While pretending to engage in oral sex, he must push the blade out with his tongue and then stand up and cut the man's throat. Initially unaware of Luciani's influence Malik calls the guards to report the incident only to be savagely beaten by the Corsicans. Malik then practices endlessly severely cutting his own mouth in the process. When the time comes things do not go as planned. Instead of oral sex Reyeb wanted to talk to Malik first. Reyeb offers to teach him how to read and even gives him his books to help. Nervous, Malik closes his mouth on the razor blade too tightly and starts to bleed, forcing him to take out the blade with his hand. A struggle ensues with Malik victorious and Reyeb dead. However, guilt sweeps over Malik and he begins to periodically hallucinate an apparition of Reyeb.

The next day Luciani congratulates Malik and offers him his protection. Vettori is deeply unhappy about the new addition to the Corsican gang due to Malik's Middle Eastern heritage and forces him to leave during discussions calling him a dirty Arab.

Malik befriends another Muslim named Ryad who claims to be rehabilitated from crimes and due for release soon. Ryad teaches Malik how to read and write Arabic and French. While smoking hashish, Ryad tells Malik that he suffered from testicular cancer and is in remission. Malik finds this amusing and jokes with Ryad. After leaving Ryad's cell another Muslim calls Malik a pig due to his relations with the Corsicans. Malik also meets Jordi the prison drug dealer who uses hashish and heroin.

Political tension on the outside rises when the Sarkozy ­government passes a bill repatriating Corsican ­prisoners away from mainland France. Luciani's personal lawyer Sampierro informs him that the rest of the Corsican inmates will be moved to a prison on Corsica leaving Luciani alone with only Malik.

Ryad is released after completing his term and is reunited with his wife, Djamila. Together the two have a baby boy, Issam. Malik seeing Luciani is alone now, confides in him that he was able to learn Corsican just by listening. Instead of being congratulated as Malik was expecting, Luciani savagely berates him and hits him, telling Malik that he belongs only to him and never to spy on him. Luciani then arranges furloughs for Malik allowing him to leave prison for 12 hours so he can carry on business outside for Luciani.

Before his first release Jordi offers him an opportunity to smuggle drugs in. Prior to being arrested Jordi's car broke down outside of Paris where police found 100 kilos of hash on him. He and his gang were arrested, however one member was able to hide 25 kilos of hash in the ceiling of a bathroom. Jordi asks if Malik can retrieve the drugs for him and smuggle them back. Malik is initially reluctant but eventually sees this as an opportunity and agrees. Meanwhile Luciani gives Malik a blind task. He arranges for Malik to meet Sampierro who will then give him further instructions. They give him a briefcase and drop him off at a house. When the door opens a man insults him for being Arab and then forces him by gun point into the house. They exchange the briefcase for a hostage. The transaction is successful and Malik receives $5000 from Sampierro for the task. He then goes and retrieves the hash from the bathroom and gives both to Ryad.

After returning to prison Malik begins his own business with Jordi selling hash to the Muslims which alleviates tension between them. The Muslims grow to trust Malik after he befriends Tarik and Hassan, two respected Muslim inmates. Luciani grows angry and insecure as his influence in the prison rapidly diminishes. He attempts to convince Malik to pressure the Muslims so he can control the prison again. Malik refuses citing that it would be more effective if the guards did it. Luciani goes to the corrupt head guard and tells him to rough the Muslims up so they know who is in control. However the guard also refuses telling Luciani that things are not the same now that the Corsicans are greatly outnumbered.

Ryad runs into trouble outside the prison when a drug dealer named Latif the Egyptian robs him of the hash. Jordi has Malik talk to the Muslims in an attempt to find information about Latif. Tarik tells Malik that Latif has a brother-in-law in the prison. Ryad hires men on the outside to attack and kidnap Latif's brother-in-law's mother while Malik, Jordi, and Tarik beat Latif's brother-in-law with socks filled with batteries.

Luciani requests to speak with Hassan and asks him to arrange a meeting with his cousin Brahim Lattrache in Marseille. Hassan agrees. Luciani then informs Malik that he has ties with the Lingherris, an Italian mafia, over a casino deal and needs to know the price to get out of the deal. Hassan attempt to persuade Malik to work for him because of their similar heritage and questions Luciani loyalty to Malik suggesting that a Corsican will never trust a Muslim. Luciani invites Malik for a causal discussion and asks Malik how his side business with Jordi is going. Malik informs him that it is going well and that he is smuggling hash through frozen foods to the inmates. Luciani viciously attacks him with a spoon scarring one of Malik's eyes and then scolds him for unnecessary risk that could cost him his furlough arrangement, threatening Luciani's own contact with the outside world.

Bitter and unhappy with Luciani's treatment of him after all the risk he took, Malik promises himself that one day he will overthrown and kill Luciani. While Malik sleeps that night he has a vision of deer and a deer crossing highway sign. The next morning Malik leaves for a furlough. Luciani has Malik flown to Marseille where he meets Lattrache. Lattrache ties Malik by the hands. Malik, confused about this, tells Lattrache that Luciani will give him full control of the slot machines in the new casino if he can get Lingherris out of the deal. Lattrache then asks why a Corsican would trust an Arab and then pulls a gun on him. Lattrache informs him that there is a mole in this deal. He states that someone killed his good friend, Reyeb and believes that Luciani was involved. While having a gun pointed at him, Malik's vision comes true and he sees a deer crossing sign. Malik shouts that "the animals are coming" even though he cannot see above the car seat. Indeed, a deer does appear and crashes into the windshield of their car. Lattrache asks Malik how he saw the deer and calls him a prophet. Malik confesses that he killed Reyeb on behalf of Luciani and confides in Lattrache that he will personally talk to Luciani and create a new empire between them. Lattrache accepts the offer. Then Malik asks if he knows Latif. Lattrache says he does and will talk to Latif for him. Malik tells Ryad the plan to create an empire for each other and that Lattrache will take care of Latif for them. Ryad then informs him that his cancer has returned and he may need to go through chemotherapy again.

Afterward, Luciani calls Sampierro for an emergency meeting stating that Marcaggi believes there is a mole in the Corsican mafia who was secretly dealing with the Lingherris. Luciani is frustrated when he is told that Marcaggi does not want Luciani involved in the search for the mole at all. Shortly thereafter, Vettori visits Luciani and informs him that it has been Marcaggi, all along, who has been talking to the Lingherris. Luciani attempts to gain the complete trust of Malik and tells him that they know who is talking to the Lingherris. He tells Malik to form a team to whack Jacky Marcaggi and the Lingherris. He sweetens the deal by asking Malik what his plans are when he gets out, implying that Malik could help run the casinos with Lattrache, in exchange for completing this assignment. Luciani asks Malik to form his own team and arranges for Vettori to meet with them. Malik ask Ryad to form the group. However the group gets cold feet leaving only Malik and Ryad.

Meanwhile Latif gives Ryad, whose health is now rapidly declining, the money from the drugs. Unfocused and delirious, he takes the bag filled with drug money to a local mosque where it is accidentally discovered by another Muslim. As a result, Hassan holds up Malik by knife point telling him that it was a disgrace for him to bring "dirty" money to a mosque and be careless enough to leave it. Hassan tells him that he only thinks for himself and is selfish. Hassan declares that Malik is simply using him, to which he retorts, "So?", and states that everyone will win so there isn't a problem, that Hassan will gain more power and respect.

Ryad visits Malik in prison telling him that he has no reason not to go through with the plan because he is dying. All he wanted was to leave something for his family before he died so they can live comfortably. Malik promises Ryad that if his plan succeeds he will take care of Ryad's family. During the week before the assassination, Malik thinking he may easily die on this mission, begins using heroin recreationally with Jordi.

On the day of the assassination Vettori arrives to meet with the two of them expecting a team. Instead Ryad jumps out of the van knocks Vettori unconscious and brings him into their van as evidence of Luciani's involvement. Malik sees the SUV carrying Marcaggi and follows it until he sees an opening. Marcaggi's bodyguard gets out and buys tobacco. Then Malik follows the guards back into the armored car and kills the two bodyguards in the front. He then lays on the ground using the body of the dead bodyguard as cover and miraculously jumps up unhurt and kills the final bodyguard. He then drags Marcaggi into the van and tells him that Luciani is behind the assassination attempt. Malik tells Marcaggi that he will not kill him and to take revenge. Then they leave him and drive back to Ryad's home where Malik meets Djamila. Ryad tells Malik that he will not undergo chemotherapy and would rather die peacefully.

Malik purposely goes back to prison a day late so he will be forced to spend 40 days and 40 nights in isolation. During this time a civil war in the Corsican mafia ensues crippling the organization. By the time Malik is released from confinement Ryad has passed away. He enters the prison courtyard with his new gang of Muslim brothers. Luciani calls for Malik to come to him, but Malik does not move. Luciani walks over to Malik but is knocked down by Tarik.

Malik is finally released from prison after six years and a greeted by his new gang on the outside along with Djamila and her son. Malik approaches Djamila and then walks away with her, protected.

Cast

Production

The film's screenplay, re-worked by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain, was submitted to them by a producer, though the idea of making a film set in prison first came to Audiard after he had a film screened in a prison and was shocked by the conditions there.[2][3]

Audiard cast Niels Arestrup, featured in Audiard's previous film, The Beat that My Heart Skipped as the Corsican crime boss César Luciani, and met Tahar Rahim, who plays Malik, when they shared an automobile ride from another film set. To ensure the authenticity of the prison experience, Audiard hired former convicts as advisors and extras.[3]

Reception

The film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and currently holds a 97% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 129 reviews.[4]

Director Jacques Audiard (center) and stars Niels Arestrup and Tahar Rahim at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Reception of the film after its debut screening at 2009 Cannes Film Festival at the competition was good. A Prophet was picked as the best film of the festival by a group of sixteen English language critics and bloggers polled by the daily independent film news site indieWIRE.[5]

Karin Badt at The Huffington Post called it "refreshingly free".[2] Jonathan Romney of Screen International said that the film "works both as hard-edged, painstaking detailed social realism and as a compelling genre entertainment."[6]

Luke Davies of The Monthly criticized some of the film's stylistic methodology and content, asserting that the prophetic themes could have been stretched out, but he celebrated the film's central character and his well-executed "improbable rise from invisibility to dominance", describing "what gives [the film] such dynamic energy is the seamlessness with which this transition unfolds". Davies described the film's main achievement as conveying a character "someone we care about and gun for" who started life on screen as a blank slate.[7]

Awards

The film was the submission of France for the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film.[8] On February 2, 2010, when Academy Award nominations were announced, A Prophet received a nomination for Best Foreign Language film. The other four films in the category were Ajami, The Milk of Sorrow and The White Ribbon, and the eventual winner, El secreto de sus ojos.[9]

A Prophet won the Grand Prix at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.[10] At the 53rd London Film Festival, it won the Best Film Award.[11][12] It won the Prix Louis Delluc 2009.[13] At the 63rd British Academy Film Awards, it won a BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language. It was nominated for 13 César Awards, tying it with three other films for the most nominations of any film in César history. It won 9 Cesars at the ceremony, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.[14]

In 2010 Empire magazine ranked it at number 63 in its "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" list.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Nous voulions fabriquer des héros à partir de figures que l’on ne connaît pas, qui n’ont pas de représentation iconique au cinéma, comme les Arabes par exemple." "Entretien avec Jacques Audiard, réalisateur d'Un prophète". Dossier de presse (in French). Cinemotions. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Badt, Karin (May 18, 2009). "Cannes Favorite: Jacques Audiard's "The Prophet"". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ a b Turan, Kenneth (May 19, 2009). "Jacques Audiard's 'A Prophet' has a buzz building". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  4. ^ "A Prophet". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  5. ^ "Audiard's "Prophet" Hailed by Critics, Bloggers as Best of Cannes". indiewire. May 27, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ Romney, Jonathan (May 25, 2009). "A Prophet (Un Prophète)". screendaily.com. Retrieved August 21, 2009. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Davies, Luke (February 2010). "Lost Boys: Jacques Audiard's A Prophet and John Hillcoat's The Road". The Monthly.
  8. ^ Le Figaro.Fr
  9. ^ "CNN".
  10. ^ "Festival de Cannes: A Prophet". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  11. ^ "Winner of Best Film Award: A Prophet". bfi.org. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
  12. ^ "French film receives London award". bbc.co.uk. October 29, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
  13. ^ "Prix Louis Delluc : «Un prophète» sacré meilleur film 2009" (in French). Le Parisien. December 11, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  14. ^ "2010 César Winners". César Awards. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  15. ^ "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema". Empire. {{cite web}}: Text "63. A Prophet" ignored (help)
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