This year’s Toronto International Film Festival is continuing to take shape. Today, the festival has announced the world premiere of Ladj Ly‘s “Les Indésirables,” which also gives film fans a glimpse at the first international title to be announced from this year’s slate.
It will not be Ly’s first TIFF appearance: the French filmmaker previously screened his “Les Misérables” at the 2019 festival. That film received the Jury Prize at Cannes, was nominated for a Palme d’Or at Cannes as well as several César awards, and ultimately earned an Academy Award nomination for Best International Feature.
Per today’s announcement, the festival promises that “Ly continues to push artistic boundaries, offering audiences a thought-provoking cinematic experience.” “We are honored to showcase Ladj Ly’s remarkable talent once again with the World Premiere of his latest work, ‘Les Indésirables,’” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF in an official statement. “This deeply personal film beautifully captures the struggles and aspirations of a community, reflecting Ly’s unparalleled storytelling skills.”
Per the festival’s official synopsis: the film is “set in the suburbs on the outskirts of Paris” and “is a timely tale of revolution, which beautifully captures a pivotal moment in history. ‘Les Indésirables’ stars Alexis Manenti, Jeanne Balibar, Steve Tientcheu, Anta Diaw, and Aristote Luyindula. After the sudden death of a town’s mayor, Pierre (Manenti), an idealistic young doctor, is appointed to replace him. He intends to continue the policy of his predecessor, who dreamed of rehabilitating this working-class neighbourhood. Haby (Diaw), a young French woman of Malian origin living in one of the dilapidated tower blocks, refuses to see her family driven out of the neighborhood where she grew up.”
Maneti previously starred in Ly’s “Les Misérables,” and earned a Cesar Award for best male newcomer for his performance.
When the film was first announced last December, Variety reported that “the two-hander film will chronicle the young woman’s emancipation, and explore the tumult of a French suburb whose inhabitants are threatened by gentrification plans. Although the movie will have a political backdrop, the producers said it will be more novelistic than Ly’s debut movie, and will follow complex characters ‘who are neither good or bad.’”
The film will be up for sale at the festival.
As was previously announced, this year’s festival will also play home to the world premiere of Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins.” More announcements will be coming in the following weeks. This year’s festival runs September 7 – 17.
