A Prophet (2009)

A Prophet follows Malik El Djebena, a teenage Franco‑Arab who arrives at Brécourt prison to begin his first adult sentence. Illiterate, alone and vulnerable, Malik is immediately trapped in a brutal, divided world run by Corsican and Muslim factions. With no allies and no future prospects on the outside, he appears destined to simply survive his time behind bars. Instead, Malik is co‑opted by César Luciani, a ruthless Corsican mob boss who uses him as muscle and as a conduit for the gang’s criminal operations both inside and outside the prison. Forced into violence and betrayal, Malik also forms a crucial bond with Ryad, an older inmate who teaches him to read and becomes his closest confidant. Over the course of his sentence Malik transforms from a frightened, illiterate boy into a calculating, formidable player — climbing the hierarchy, learning the rules of power, and shaping his life on his own terms. Watching A Prophet is an intense, immersive experience: claustrophobic and unflinching, grounded in a naturalistic style that emphasizes grime, tension and moral ambiguity. The film is a slow‑burn character study as much as a crime drama — you’ll feel the oppressive atmosphere of prison life, the cold calculus of survival, and the emotional ambivalence as Malik’s rise requires horrifying compromises. It’s gripping, often uncomfortable viewing, with sharp social commentary on race, institutions and the making of power within confinement — essential for viewers who appreciate smart, character‑driven, and morally complex films.

Actors: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif

Director: Jacques Audiard

Runtime: 155 min

Genres: Crime, Drama

7.5 /10 90 /100 7.8 /10 8.1 /10