I cannot wait until all of you get a chance to see this movie. If you’re interested in a comparison, take A Prophet and watch it as the third film in a triple feature starting with City of God followed by Gomorrah and you will have one of the most intense and entertaining cinematic experiences of your life. This film is that good and I almost didn’t get a chance to see it for inclusion in this year’s list.
The film stars newcomer Tahar Rahim as Malik El Djebena, a 19-year-old Arab sent to prison for 6 years in a French jail where his dealings with the leader of the Corsican gang on the inside prove to tell one hell of a story. Strangely enough, the way in which Rahim came to star in the film is a story all of its own.
A Prophet is the feature film debut for Rahim and it all came about as a result of him sharing a taxi with one of France’s most celebrated directors, Jacques Audiard. Soon after that meeting Audiard cast Rahim in A Prophet and what he got out of him is one of the best performances I saw all year and the fact it’s his feature debut means his uncredited role in the forthcoming The Eagle of the Ninth from director Kevin Macdonald will likely be the last time his name is not part of the billing.
Rahim was recognized at the European Film Awards as the Best European Actor of 2009, the film won the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival as well as recently winning the Louis Delluc prize from the fest. It won Best Foreign Language Film from the National Board of Review, won Best Film at the London Film Festival and was recently nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the upcoming Golden Globes where it will be competing with Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon and will most likely dual it out with Haneke’s film at the Oscars. Personally I’m cheering for A Prophet if only be the slimmest of margins.
Audiard released the following statement following his Golden Globe nomination:
“This nomination is, first of all, very moving for me. It proves that a movie can travel, that we don’t just make a film for one’s own country, for our “home.” For an American, that might seem obvious, less so for a Frenchman. Also, if I make films, it is because I’ve seen films and read film reviews. I belong to a generation of cinephiles for whom seeing films and reading about them went hand in hand. Filmmakers opened your eyes and film critics helped you think. I loved that. Now today, my film is nominated for a Golden Globe and I am naturally very proud.”
After receiving that statement I sought out a screener as a last effort to see the film before compiling my list for 2009. Luckily by December 16 I had a copy in my hands and by December 17 I was emailing to ask if I could keep it a while longer so I could watch it again. I was granted my request and watched it one more time before sending it back and solidifying its place at the top of my list. It was just as phenomenal the second time as it was the first with a finale that capitalizes on everything that came before it and blowing the doors off.
A Prophet made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2009 and has made its way around the globe ever since and will again be seen at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Sony Pictures Classics has already purchased distribution rights and will release the film in New York and Los Angeles on February 26, 2010 with it expanding throughout March. I will be posting a full review at that time as I can’t wait to finally see it in theaters, but for now will leave with the trailer that begins with a quote from “The London Times” that I have a hard time arguing with. You can choose to watch it or go in blind as I did, either way I cannot wait until everyone gets a chance to see this film and I can’t wait to own it on Blu-ray. It’s an instant classic in my mind and one I think many will truly love once given the chance.
So there you have it… That’s my list of top ten films of 2009.
| QUICK NAV: | #21-25 | #11-20 | #1-10 |
Finally, just below are my top ten lists from previous years. The farther back you go, the more obvious it was how green I was at all of this.
