The World Is Yours
In this bravura film, which has already been recognized as one of the greatest discoveries at this year's Cannes Festival, Romain Gavras gives himself a little more slack than usual. With references to Brian de Palma's Scarface and the visual debauchery of Spring Breakers, the director-known to this point mainly for some unforgettable music videos for M.I.A. and Jay-Z-tells a dynamic gangster story. With the help of Karim Leklou, who plays a minor tough guy named François who really doesn't want to down the wrong path once again, but he has no choice; Isabelle Adjani as his not-so-honest mother; and Vincent Cassel, who Gavras worked with before on his 2010 debut Our Day Will Come-not to mention John Landis as a friend of the family, who shows up just when things start getting really weird. To the catchy chorus of Toto's Africa-a karaoke version, of course-Gavras proves that, while crime doesn't pay, it can sometimes be incredibly funny. Guy Ritchie is gritting his teeth with envy somewhere.
Romain Gavras
Born in Greece in 1981, Romain Gavras is the son of well-known filmmaker Constantin Costa-Gavras. He is the co-founder of the Kourtrajmé collective. He directed the controversial music video for the song Born Free by M.I.A. and Bad Girls, for which he received an MTV award. He has collaborated with artists such as Jay-Z, Kanye West and The Last Shadow Puppets. Presented at Cannes, The World Is Yours, starring Isabelle Adjani and Vincent Cassel, is his second full-length feature, following his 2010 film Our Day Will Come.