Cannes 2019: Film is inspired by the 2005 Paris riots
Amazon Studios on Friday acquired U. S. rights to writer and director Ladj Ly’s “Les Misérables,” following the film’s world premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
“Les Misérables” is Ly’s first feature and the only debut in the competition section at the festival. The film premiered Wednesday evening to great fanfare.
Inspired by the 2005 Paris riots, and Ly’s César-nominated short film of the same name, “Les Misérables” takes a provocative look into the tensions between neighborhood residents and police. It centers on Stéphane (Damien Bonnard), who has recently joined the anti-crime brigade in Montfermeil, the Paris suburb where Victor Hugo set his classic novel Les Misérables.
