A Prophet
2009 · Movie · R · 155 min · ★ 7.6 · 93% critics
A young man begins a six-year prison sentence with no allies and few skills to rely on. Pulled into the orbit of a powerful gang that controls daily life behind bars, he takes on dangerous tasks, learns to navigate shifting loyalties, and gradually hardens as he fights to survive and gain influence.
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Details
- Original title
- Un prophète
- Years
- 2009
- Release date
- 2009-08-26
- Language
- French
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 155 min
- Critic score
- 93/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.6/10 (1,737 votes)
About
If you like intense, realistic crime stories about power, survival, and shifting loyalties, this is a gripping watch; Not for you if you want light entertainment or low violence—fans of Eastern Promises or The Sopranos may connect with it.
Pros: gritty, realistic prison world; gripping rise-and-survive story; strong lead performances | Cons: very long runtime; slow build at times; harsh violence and nudity
Themes
- prison
- muslim
- gangster
- arabian
- protection
- money
- murder
- mafia
- spirit
- cruelty
- drugs
- inmate
- +6 more
Awards & recognition
- International Cinephile Society Award — Best Director · 2011
- International Cinephile Society Award — Best Film · 2011
- International Cinephile Society Award — Best Supporting Actor · 2011
- BAFTA Award — Best Film Not in the English Language · 2010
- BIFA — Best Foreign Independent Film · 2010
Show all 47 awards →
- César Award — Best Actor · 2010
- César Award — Best Male Revelation · 2010
- César Award — Best Cinematography · 2010
- César Award — Best Supporting Actor · 2010
- César Award — Best Director · 2010
- César Award — Best Editing · 2010
- César Award — Best Production Design · 2010
- César Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2010
- César Award — Best Film · 2010
- Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix · 2009
- European Film Academy Prix d'Excellence · 2009
- European Film Award — Best Actor · 2009
- Louis Delluc Prize · 2009
- National Board of Review Award — Best Foreign Language Film · 2009
- Goya Award — Best European Film · 2011 · nominated
- Polish Academy Award — Best European Film · 2011 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 2010 · nominated
- BAFTA Award — Best Film Not in the English Language · 2010 · nominated
- BIFA — Best Foreign Independent Film · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Cinematography · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Costume Design · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Music Written for a Film · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Editing · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Sound · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Original Screenplay · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Actor · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Film · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Director · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Supporting Actor · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Production Design · 2010 · nominated
- César Award — Best Male Revelation · 2010 · nominated
- David di Donatello — Best European Film · 2010 · nominated
- Independent Spirit Award — Best Foreign Film · 2010 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 2010 · nominated
- National Society of Film Critics Award — Best Foreign Language Film · 2010 · nominated
- European Film Academy Prix d'Excellence · 2009 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Screenwriter · 2009 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Actor · 2009 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Director · 2009 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Cinematographer · 2009 · nominated
- European Film Award — Best Film · 2009 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Non-English Language Film · 2009 · nominated
Cast & crew
Tahar Rahim
as Malik El Djebena
Niels Arestrup
as César Luciani
Adel Bencherif
as Ryad
Hichem Yacoubi
as Reyeb
Reda Kateb
as Jordi
Jean-Philippe Ricci
as Vettori
Gilles Cohen
as Prof
Antoine Basler
as Pilicci
- PL
Pierre Leccia
as Sampierro
Foued Nassah
as Antaro
Directed by Jacques Audiard