Un Prophete

This year at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival "Un Prophete" made a big name for itself winning the Gand Prix Award. The award was well deserved, and if you ask me it is a superb film. Thirty minutes into the story and my heart was racing faster than a reel in a film projector.
The story follows a nineteen year old Malik El Djabena, a young Arabic boy who is convicted with six years in a violent prison. In the prison there are rules, and these rules don't make themselves, they are enforced by violent mafias. Malik soon finds that he has no choice but to do what he is told. As the years pass, Malik will realize he can make rules of his own.
The classic story of the underdog rising in power has been told for many years, but "Un Prophete" has told it in a very unique way. There is a contrast in Malik's mind between the joy of violence and control, and the disguised need for a normal religious life. He is a good man, but somewhere inside there is a violent beast, a leader, and a prophet. Malik El Djaben was played by actor Tahar Rahim, although a new face in cinema, he put on one of the best performances I have ever seen. With just a look Tahar Rahim can make you understand just how he feels, and what he is thinking. His mentor, "Cesar Luciani" played by Niels Arestrup was a genius character with an outstanding performance. With little dialogue in the beginning, Niel Arestrup displayed who was in charge with a brilliant act of body language. The tension filled chemistry between the two actors in truly a work of art with a strange balance of hate and a father-son like relationship.

The Cinematography and direction of the film is very professional. The camera in the film almost seems to be a prisoner watching everything, or perhaps an imaginary character that follows Malik. The change from real to surreal filming gives the movie a sentimental side, a chance to slightly break away from the chaos and violence, letting us see inside Malik's mind with just a filming technique. Much of the camera work relied very much so on the actors performances, same can be said about most films, but the background of the prison left little room for a landscape advantage. This is a hard thing to do, when you cannot rely on background to make up for you film, you really have to get in, connect with the actors, while still disguising the camera in tight corners. The director, Jacque Audiard should be respected and recognized for his amazing work.

The DVD should be released early February of 2010 so keep your eyes open. If you wish to see the film I have a copy. you can contact me by going to my profile. Enjoy the film and be ready for an amazing ride!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyOyUwwKgvc