Films about the African riflemen of the First World War are rare, and the story of these soldiers who fought for France has long been obscured, but filmmaker Mathieu Vadepied intends to shed light on this episode of history with Tirailleurs. The film, released in January 2023, is being shown for the first time on television, this Sunday August 13, at 10:35 pm on Canal+.
The director of La vie en grand has surrounded himself with a huge star inOmar Sy. Highly committed to the project, theIntouchables and Lupin actor is also the film's producer, and gave it a long run at the Cannes Film Festival, where it opened the "Un Certain Regard" section.
1917. Bakary Diallo enlists in the French army to join Thierno, his 17-year-old son, who has been forcibly recruited. Sent to the front, father and son face the war together. Galvanized by the enthusiasm of his officer, who wants to take him to the heart of the battle, Thierno will free himself and learn to become a man, while Bakary will do everything to pull him out of the fighting and bring him back safe and sound.
Our verdict
A new twist in the career ofOmar Sy, whose total involvement in this project is very close to his heart. With his back to the camera, he plays a cold, determined father undermined by war, ready to do anything to protect his son, forcibly conscripted into the French troops of the First World War. The film is impressive for its war scenes, but above all for its cruelty: the tragedy experienced by the African riflemen is shown unvarnished. It's a tough, cold feature, often shot at night or in bad weather, with almost no sunlight.
Obviously, a war film of this scale requires a considerable budget, which the film does not have. This is apparent on a few occasions, in the economy of the mise en scène, but never mind, its strength lies elsewhere, in the writing of its characters. On the one hand, Omar Sy's father, with his inflexible determination, and on the other, his son, played by Alassane Diong, who is rapidly rising through the ranks of his regiment, to the point of wanting to leave his father behind.
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