France | 2009 | col | 150 mins | dir. Jacques Audiard, with Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup | cert. 18
Condemned to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena cannot read or 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 'missions' to carry out, toughening him up and gaining the gang leader's confidence in the process. But Malik is brave and a fast learner, daring to secretly develop his own plans...
Made with the filmmaker's trademark emotional intensity and ability to elevate traditional genre material to exceptional heights, A Prophet was the most universally admired work in 2009's Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize.
France in the U.K
