Les Pires (The Worst Ones) - English subtitled
This unusual film-within-a-film follows a director while shooting a drama about problem children and highlights the ethical issues surrounding the use of amateur actors.
The four youngsters selected by the director all suffer from behavioural problems. The residents of the coastal town where the film is being shot have strong opinions about the choice of these actors. In their eyes, they are the worst problem cases in their community. And while the director repeatedly stresses that this is a great opportunity for the youngsters, it ignores the fact that they would probably benefit much more from psychological help than a place in the spotlight.
With their ambitious feature debut, the directing duo Lisa Akoke and Romane Gueret immediately set the bar quite high for themselves. The film balances between fiction and non-fiction and raises the question of the integrity of (documentary) films and series about problem youth. Do their makers have a genuine interest in the subject or is the motivation for filming pure sensationalism? (ms)