He arrives appearing younger and more vulnerable than the other inmates. Cornered by the leader of the Corsican gang who rules the prison, he is given a number of jobs to carry out to toughen him up and he gains the gang leader's confidence in the process. But Malik is a fast learner and he has plans of his own. He develops his own sphere of influence and his own power inside the prison.

Audiard said that he wanted to make a genre film that would be different from his other films. There are not many French prison genre films so it gave Audiard a freedom to explore a genre that was not over developed. Unlike some of his other films sets had to be constructed, many parts cast and the whole classical mechanics of filmmakers used. The result is a great film. Audiard said A Prophet shows the life of a prison as a metaphor for society.

Malik starts out as a blank page but the prison becomes a school for his development. A school for crime. The role is very well done by young French actor Tahar Rahim.

Audiard is a true French master and he has been in competition twice before in Cannes as a director with Un Heros Tres Discret in 1996 for which he took home the prize for best screenplay and with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber in 1994. It will be a surprise if he goes home empty handed in 2009.

Credits

Jacques AUDIARD - Director

Abdel RAOUF DAFRI - Based on an original idea by

Jacques AUDIARD - Screenplay

Thomas BIDEGAIN - Screenplay

Nicolas PEUFAILLIT - Based on an original screenplay by

Abdel RAOUF DAFRI - Based on an original screenplay by

Stéphane FONTAINE - Cinematography

Michel BARTHELEMY - Set Designer

Alexandre DESPLAT - Music

Juliette WELFLING - Film Editor

Brigitte TAILLANDIER - Sound

Francis WARGNIER - Sound

Jean-Paul HURIER - Sound

Actors

Tahar RAHIM - Malik

Niels ARESTRUP - Cesar Luciani

Adel BENCHERIF - Ryad

Reda KATEB - Jordi

Hichem YACOUBI - Reyeb