I had heard a buzz about this French drama by Boris Lojkine which can be a blessing or a curse. Gladly, the rumours were true. 

We spend a frenetic few days on the streets of Paris as Guinean asylum seeker Souleymane (Abou Sangare) tries to prepare for his asylum interview. It is frenetic because he is working as a bicycle courier and needs to earn enough money to pay for documents that will help his case. He can’t legally work though so his job is complicated by being in the name of another man, Cameroonian Emmanuel (Emmanuel Yovanie), who takes a cut and seems slow to pass on the earnings. 

It almost feels like documentary as we follow Souleymane from job to job, to the homeless shelter he goes to every night and through each moment where his vulnerability as undocumented is exploited. 

What is interesting – and gives added weight to the film’s name – is that Souleymane’s story for the interview is not necessarily true. The subtexts are subtle – male stoic with pride, the gender divide when it comes to vulnerability, and what price we put on integrity. The ending is powerful and brings together all our emotions around compassion, refuge, choice and powerlessness.