Hubert Charuel—who won the César Award for Best First Feature with Bloody Milk (2017), a story about a young dairy farmer struggling to protect his cattle—returns with a new tale about youth in crisis. Mika and Daniel, bickering under the weight of economic pressure, find themselves trapped in a maze with no way out. Following a ludicrous act of rebellion, they end up in court and are eventually forced to work at a nuclear waste facility. In this desolate, marginalized place, they are reduced to mere tools, weighed down by a growing sense of helplessness. To make matters worse, Daniel, who neglects his own well-being, begins to suffer from declining health. Structured like a buddy movie, the film captures the raw camaraderie and shared plight of the two bosom friends, evoking powerful empathy. The tightly woven performances by Paul Kircher and Idir Azougli leave a lingering impression, reminiscent of the spirited working-class characters in Ken Loach’s 1990s films. We can rediscover the image of those who fought not to lose hope amid bitter reality. They are the faces of our time. We are Mika and Daniel.
