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A Prophet
Un prophète
2009 155 min France, Italy R 18+
★8.3
Crime, Drama
Director: Jacques Audiard
Trailers
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EN
Description
Sentenced to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena is alone in the world and can neither read nor write. On his arrival at the prison, he seems younger and more brittle than the others detained there. At once he falls under the sway of a group of Corsicans who enforce their rule in the prison. As the 'missions' go by, he toughens himself and wins the confidence of the Corsican group.
Budget:
$13M
US Gross:
$2.09M
Worldwide:
$17.87M
Starring
Tahar Rahim
Actor
Niels Arestrup
Actor
Adel Bencherif
Actor
Awards
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Actor
European Film Awards 2009
— Prix d'Excellence
César Awards 2010
— Best Director
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Screenplay
César Awards 2010
— Best Director
César Awards 2010
— Best Screenplay
César Awards 2010
— Best Production Design
César Awards 2010
— Best Costume Design
César Awards 2010
— Best Sound
César Awards 2010
— Best Cinematography
César Awards 2010
— Best Picture
Cannes Film Festival 2009
— Grand Jury Prize
Academy Awards 2010
— Best International Feature Film
Golden Globe 2010
— Best International Feature Film
Cannes Film Festival 2009
— Palme d'Or
Goya Awards 2011
— Best European Film
César Awards 2010
— Best Actor
César Awards 2010
— Best Supporting Actor
César Awards 2010
— Best Film Editing
César Awards 2010
— Most Promising Actor
César Awards 2010
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 2010
— Best International Feature Film
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Director
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Cinematography
Key opinion
Un prophète is widely acclaimed as a gritty, masterfully directed crime drama that chronicles a young man's transformation within a racially charged prison system. While a few viewers find the plot incoherent or the pacing challenging, most praise its authentic atmosphere, strong performances, and complex character evolution.
| Acting | Tahar Rahim anchors the film with a transformative performance, evolving convincingly from a vulnerable, illiterate novice into a cold, calculating power player. | |
| Direction | Jacques Audiard provides a masterful, unflinching direction that prioritizes naturalism and intense atmosphere over Hollywood-style artifice. | |
| Production | The film offers a brutal, immersive depiction of the French prison system, emphasizing how racial divisions and survival dynamics dictate the inmates' power structures. | |
| Runtime | Audiences are split on the 2.5-hour runtime; many appreciate the deliberate, detailed pacing, while others find the narrative slow to ignite or lacking in focus. | |
| Theme | Interpretations of the film's title and its spiritual or mystic subtext vary, with some finding the symbolism profound and others viewing it as ambiguous or disconnected. |