After various documentaries, Emmanuel Hamon tries to the cinema with the realization of Exfiltrés , a thriller in which Faustina (Iscah Kalvanda view in Divine ), mom French of a five year old boy, goes up in 2015 to al-Raqqa in the hope of being useful to the group Islamic State. When she opens his eyes to the hell in which she threw herself with her son, the young woman begs her husband (Swann Arlaud), left in ignorance, to Paris, to help him to escape. He then mounts an operation of exfiltration to high-risk for the repatriation of his family in france.

” READ ALSO – Exfiltrés: in the skin of a French woman and her child in Raqqa

There had to be a certain boldness to engage in the creation of a film so steeped in the news. Exfiltrés is based on a true story and several of the testimonies detailed. Driven by this desire to be closer to the reality, bordering on almost the aspect of documentary, Emmanuel Hamon has hired actors syrians that the focus raqaoui not be overlooked. He has watched multiple videos and photos for flags, corpses, weapons, are as credible as possible in its reconstruction of al-Raqqa and its atmosphere of death.

efforts rewarded, at least at the beginning of the film. The images are powerful, especially when the son of Faustina learns how to handle a Kalashnikov. Emmanuel Hamon filmed the education violent child soldiers of the ARS without ever turning to the gore.

Exfiltrés [VF] [trailer] – Watch on Figaro Live

Alas, the film soon finds himself troubled by a strange rhythm where the plot promised by the title in second intention. The first focusing on the arrival of Faustina in Syria, and the reporting of her disappearance by her husband with the French authorities. A film in two time, but which leaves the unpleasant impression that he is missing half of the scenes. We understand the urgency of the repatriation of the child more than the mother, who has in spite of everything difficult to empathize with. The will storyline?

es the characters in berne As a couple on screen, Iscah Kalvanda and Swann Arlaud struggle to convince. Pascal Chantier – Epithète Films

But the biggest disappointment of this thriller lies, unfortunately, in the writing of its characters and the game of his players. Swann Arlaud, césarisé in 2018 for the Little Peasant by Hubert Charuel, appears smooth, passive, in this role of husband and father abandoned him in Paris. In the Face of its impotence and indifference of the French State for his family, it is almost of marble. François Ozon has yet proved recently in Thanks to God , the actor knows how to touch the heart when one allows him to play.

From the opening scene, and the complicity of its torque with Iscah Kalvanda is at the point of death. It also fight, sometimes too much, even badly to try to live of the dialogues to be repetitive and without depth. Charles Berling sounds wrong in surgeon revolted, the talented Aurélia Petit is playing well, the two lines they deign to grant him, Sophie Cattani exist hardly. All deserved much better.

The real hero Kassem Khoja and Finnegan Oldfield saves “Exfiltrés” by the accuracy of their game. Pascal Chantier – Epithète Films

Exfiltrés finds his salvation in the duo formed by Finnegan Oldfield and Kassem Khoja. For them, Emmanuel Hamon takes the time of filming. The increasing involvement of the former in the rescue of Faustina, and the leak is perilous, the second to France. It is only when the two meet as it is understood that the film will finally begin. Nominated in the category best promising male of Caesar in 2016 and again in 2018, Finnegan Oldfield is required in the first plan, young man bright, alert, and engaged, in the same way as the real revelation of the film, Kassem Khoja. For his first film, grand absent from the movie poster interpreter with accuracy any particular a syrian refugee man, whose experience echoes his. The two actors resemble each other, assemble, and become the real hero of Exfiltrés . A pity that the film does not only focus on their duo.