French filmmaker Ladj Ly, known for his 2019 feature film debut Les Misérables, has gained international recognition for his depiction of the hardships and injustices faced by marginalized communities in Paris’ immigrant suburbs, known as the banlieues. Born and raised in these suburbs, Ly has been documenting the struggles of his community since his teenage years. Les Misérables, a crime thriller that vividly portrays the cycles of police brutality against Black and Arab youth, garnered critical acclaim, winning the jury prize at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, four César Awards, and an Oscar nomination in the international film category. The film caught the attention of French President Emmanuel Macron, who expressed his concern and pledged to improve living conditions in the banlieues.
However, despite these promises, the realities on the ground have not changed. On June 27, 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, a French teenager of Moroccan and Algerian descent, was shot and killed by a Paris police officer during a traffic stop in the banlieues. The incident, coupled with the police’s initial attempts to manipulate the facts surrounding the encounter, sparked protests and civil unrest across France for weeks. Ly criticizes Macron’s inaction, stating that instead of finding solutions, the government has given police officers the permission to kill Black and Arab people, evident in cases like Nahel’s. He also highlights the government’s brutal displacement of families in the projects, without offering any meaningful alternatives.
Ly acknowledges that the unexpected success of Les Misérables made it challenging for him to develop a follow-up film. He never anticipated such a profound impact on a global audience and, therefore, faced difficulties in choosing a story that would match the strength of his debut film. Ultimately, he found his inspiration in the unending political paralysis and violence against marginalized communities in the banlieues.
His second feature film, Les Indésirables, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The movie revolves around a young white doctor who becomes the mayor of a working-class Paris suburb and a young woman of color living in a banlieue tower block who fights for the rights of the “undesirables” who face forced relocation due to the mayor’s plans to gentrify the community. Ly intentionally casts the same actor who played the most racist cop in Les Misérables, symbolizing how racism pervades all levels of French society and its political institutions.
Ly clarifies that his goal with Les Indésirables, and his subsequent films, is to expose the inaction of politicians in addressing these issues. While some describe the film as “a timely tale of revolution,” Ly acknowledges the limitations of filmmaking in effecting real-world change. As an artist, his job is to denounce the unjust reality he sees, not to provide solutions. He hopes that his films will shed light on the humiliating situations faced by marginalized communities and foster understanding and empathy among viewers.
He emphasizes that politicians hold the real power to break the cycles of violence and discrimination. If they truly had the will to do so, they could take immediate action to initiate meaningful change. Ly concludes by expressing his frustration with the persistent cycles of injustice that have plagued French society throughout his lifetime.
Ladj Ly’s work serves as a powerful testament to the struggles faced by marginalized communities in France, particularly in the banlieues. Through his films, he amplifies their voices and sheds light on the systemic issues they face. While his primary role is that of an artist, his work has the potential to inspire change by raising awareness and prompting dialogue. It is imperative for politicians and society as a whole to listen, understand, and take action to address the root causes of these injustices and create a more inclusive and equitable society.
