Offering a fresh feel to the true realities of France's darker years under German leadership, Free Men offers tension as it exposes the importance of trust and secrecy in the midst of uncertain times.
It's 1942 in heavily occupied Paris; Younes (Rahim) is a young Algerian immigrant working as a black-marketeer selling goods.
Arrested by French police he can avoid jail by becoming an informer, spying on a local mosque suspected of harbouring Jews and issuing false papers identifying them as Muslims.
After befriending several Jews and realising the consequences of his actions he rebels against the authorities and offers to help the Mosque in protecting the Jewish people. Younes is now becoming more of a freedom fighter than a freedom taker as he is sucked deeper into the resistant movement.
On par with his performance in A Prophet, Tahar Rahim’s portrayal of a black-market dealer turned freedom fighter, is played with a cool and compelling, yet unassuming, charm that stands out from the film. Director Ismael Ferroukhi also teases out noteworthy performances in the other leading cast from Michael Lonsdale (Of Gods and Men), who dominates the supporting role as the head of the Mosque Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit, to Mahmud Shalaby’s ambiguous and seductive performance as bar singer Salim Halali.
*Intelligently executed, with a typically fine performance from Michael Lonsdale*
Total Film
*An eye-opener! An absorbing drama that engages both the heart and the mind*
Screen Daily
Watch the trailer for Free Men here:
Officially selected throughout 2011 for an array of high-profile film festivals including Toronto and Cannes, it's a film not to be missed!
Free Men is showing at Gloucester Guildhall on: Tuesday 24th July at 2pm and 7.45pm, Wednesday 25th July at 7.45pm and Thursday 26th July at 7.45pm
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