Might is Right

A sombre, philosophical essay about young migrants in French suburbs - their feelings of being outcasts, their clashes with police, their conflicts in courts and in prisons. An outstanding film with excellent camera work and extraordinarily filmed scenes of social injustice. A penetrating look at the dynamics and realities of urban poverty in Europe (francophone Europe is the locale for the film). Market forces are increasingly dominating European society. In practice this often means factories move to developing countries and the poor in Europe’s cities get poorer. As real estate prices go up, they are forced into housing estate ghettos. Most, but not all, are immigrants from French-speaking Africa or their descendents. Racism, discrimination, and the rise of anti-immigration policies are an integral part of the equation. Jobs are hard to find if you are Arab or black. Police harassment is commonplace. The judiciary sends more and more young men of color to prison. The stories of members of the new underclass in cities across France and Belgium give a very human face to the social and economic transformations underway in Europe. The film won several prizes at prestigious film festivals.

The partner of the screening is human rights documentary film festival One World.