Fils de, the debut feature from director Carlos Abascal Peiró, will be aired on Canal+ on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 9:11 PM. Released in theaters on September 3, 2025, the film stars Jean Chevalier, François Cluzet, and Karin Viard in a French comedy that explores personal ambitions, family tensions, and political machinations.
The story kicks off with a sense of institutional urgency: a week after the presidential election, France is still waiting for its new Prime Minister. Nino, a young and ambitious parliamentary assistant, is tasked with a delicate mission—persuading his father, Lionel Perrin, to accept the role. Over the course of 24 hours, the film turns this negotiation into a tense race against time, where the public good, personal ambitions, and private wounds all collide on the same front.
The strongest idea of the film is right here: beneath its satire of the political world, Fils de is fundamentally about inheritance. The legacy of a name, a relationship to power, passed down from one generation to the next. The title isn’t just about family ties; it hints at a more uncomfortable reality — that of those who come after, caught between admiration, resentment, and the quest to carve out their own identity.
In his first major film role, Jean Chevalier captures the essence of a generation’s tension. Standing opposite him, François Cluzet and Karin Viard bring an immediate depth to the story — not just through their star power, but through the characters they portray: a political and familial generation whose decisions still cast long shadows over the younger ones. Interestingly, this marks the fifth time Cluzet and Viard have shared the screen, following collaborations in France Boutique, I Am an Assassin, The Truth or Almost, and Paris.
Carlos Abascal Peiró, a former journalist who has worked in Madrid and later in Paris, debuts as a filmmaker with Fils de, a film rooted in keen observation but also infused with personal touches. The choice of the name Nino, reminiscent of niño in Spanish, is no coincidence: the character is partly defined by his status as a “child,” even within a system where he’s desperately trying to assert himself. This autobiographical nuance gives the film a distinctive edge that elevates it beyond a mere comedy of appearances.
The feature film also boasts a more pronounced stylization than it might initially appear. Carlos Abascal Peiró has mentioned drawing inspiration from Hollywood cinema of the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in its vibrant colors and energetic tone, while the soundtrack includes contributions from Julio Iglesias. This blend of pop references, political unrest, and family neuroses gives the film a distinctive edge that sets it apart from a traditional parliamentary drama.
Presented in competition at the La Baule Film and Music Festival, Fils de took home three awards, including Best Film. The journey highlighted its compelling music and Sawsan Abès's standout performance, marking the film as one that seeks its identity through rhythm and tone. Shot between Paris and Brussels in early 2024, it fits within the tradition of French comedies where the mechanics of power unveil more personal conflicts.
While it doesn't claim to be a pure comedy or an in-depth political drama, Fils de captivates primarily through its blend of institutional satire and a personal vendetta. This shift in focus might be what makes it intriguing: setting Matignon as the backdrop, yet really delving into themes of lineage, inheritance, and what remains of a father once the office itself is gone.
Fils de | Film | 2025
In theaters: September 3, 2025
Premiered on Canal+ on March 31, 2026, at 9:11 PM
Comedy | Duration: 1h45
Directed by Carlos Abascal Peiró | Starring Jean Chevalier, François Cluzet, Karin Viard
Original title: Fils de
Country: France
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