Review: “And Their Children After Them” – Racism and Revenge in Small-Town France

Class and racial tensions come to a boiling point in this compelling story of disaffected youth in a small French town. Co-directed by Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma and based on Nicolas Mathieu’s bestselling novel, this drama captures a national narrative under the guise of a coming-of-age story. It seamlessly connects low-rise estates with posh homes on the hills and brings an element of gritty social realism to the Venice Film Festival this year.

The setting is the 90s, but its socio-economic strains are timeless. The fictional town of Heillange reflects countless other towns in France and beyond, shadowed by its closed steelworks and bustling with too many people with too little to do. “A town of hard times,” where the grand news is the opening of an indoor ski slope. White former steelworkers live in modest terraced houses, while immigrant ex-steelworkers reside in equally nondescript flats. These two groups rarely interact until a small crisis ignites a series of reactions.

Our guide is the awkward Anthony (portrayed superbly by Paul Kircher), 14 at the start of the story. One night, he takes his father’s motorbike to a party, hoping to impress the beautiful, middle-class Steph (Angelina Voreth). In a garden confrontation, Anthony clashes with Hacine (Sayyid El Amani), an “Arab kid” who retaliates by stealing the bike. Despite their differences, Anthony and Hacine share much in common: poor backgrounds, abusive fathers, and a desperate urge to escape Heillange. Only history and circumstance make them perceive each other as enemies.

The Boukhermas begin the tale in the summer of 1992 at a woodland lake beyond the town. The narrative then compresses the years leading to France’s 1998 World Cup victory, transforming the children who once played by the lock-up garages into prematurely aged men complaining about a new generation. Along the way, there are standout performances by Ludivine Sagnier and Gilles Lellouche as Anthony’s parents, portraying two hard-bitten characters deserving of a drama of their own.

It’s the escalating feud that propels the film forward. The stolen bike is merely the opening act, as Anthony soon acquires a pistol from a depraved local dealer with an intense dislike for immigrants. “A gun,” remarks the dealer, “is the only thing that works with their kind.”

The narrative, while at times feeling exaggerated like a budget chicken pumped with water, effectively captures the essence of small-town life. “And Their Children After Them” illustrates how boredom in Heillange spawns mischief, which escalates into violence. With no escape, small transgressions fester for years. Childhood crushes grow into enduring love, as evidenced by Anthony’s unyielding pursuit of Steph over the decade. Concurrently, hatred grows, and Hacine yearns for revenge.

• And Their Children After Them screened at the Venice film festival.

Source: The Guardian