Toronto International Film Festival to Host World Premiere of Ladj Ly’s ‘Les Indésirables’

Brent Lang
·2 min read
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Ladj Ly, the French filmmaker behind “Les Misérables,” will return to the Toronto International Film Festival with his latest drama, “Les Indésirables.” The film will have its world premiere at the fall festival, where it is selling distribution rights.

Buyers, particularly those looking to land the rare foreign language film that could appeal to U.S. audiences, will certainly be keen to see what Ly has brought to Toronto. “Les Misérables,” with its searing depiction of police violence and roiling tensions in an immigrant community on the outskirts of Paris electrified critics when it debuted in Cannes in 2019. It won Cannes’ Jury Prize and went on to pick up Oscar and BAFTA nominations after it sold to Amazon.

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“Les Indésirables,” which translates to undesirables, stars Alexis Manenti, Jeanne Balibar, Steve Tientcheu, Anta Diaw and Aristote Luyindula. Like “Les Misérables,” it is also set in the suburbs of Paris. After the sudden death of a town’s mayor, Pierre (Manenti), an idealistic young doctor, is appointed to replace him. In his new position, Pierre intends to continue the policy of his predecessor, and to realize his dreams of rehabilitating their working-class neighborhood. At the same time, Haby (Diaw), a young French woman of Malian origin living in one of the crumbling tower blocks, refuses to see her family driven out of the community where she grew up.

Though made long before the violent unrest over a police shooting in France that has captured global attention, it’s hard not to see some parallels between the types of stories that Ly is bringing to screen and the tangled political situation in his country. The festival seemed to note the topicality of “Les Indésirables,” calling it “a timely tale of revolution.”

“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 of the Toronto International Film Festival. “This deeply personal film beautifully captures the struggles and aspirations of a community, reflecting Ly’s unparalleled storytelling skills.”

Goodfellas will represent “Les Indésirables” in any sales talks.

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