A Prophet

Generating some of the best reviews out of Cannes this week is Jacques Audiard’s prison drama, A Prophet. Synopsis from the official press material:

Condemned to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena cannot read nor write. Arriving at the jail entirely alone, he appears younger and more fragile than the other convicts. He is 19 years old. Cornered by the leader of the Corsican gang who rules the prison, he is given a number of ‚Äúmissions‚Äù to carry out, toughening him up and gaining the gang leader‚Äôs confidence in the process. But Malik is brave and a fast learner, daring to secretly develop his own plans…

Audiard directed two of the my favorite French thrillers of the past decade, Read My Lips and The Beat that My Heart Skipped so I’m looking forward to seeing this more than just about anything else in competition in Cannes. Poster after the cut.