Ladj Ly's New Film "Les Miserables" Reflects the Hardships of Impoverished Areas

By Nicholas Leffel

Director Ladj Ly of the film Les Miserables

Today, there was no better way to start off the third day of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival than with a press conference featuring the team from the new French film titled" Les Miserables." The film centers around a group of riot police called into action against protesters deriving from impoverished urban housing estates. Director Ladj Ly gave his remarks relating himself to some of the characters in the film who come from these neighborhoods explaining how he himself grew up in such an area as well.

The film also features young actors Al Hassan Ly and Issa Perica with roles of boys who grow up in said areas. "It's always good to reserve hope, hope for the future," Ladj Ly mentioned when explaining the roles of both of the young teenagers. In addition to this 

When asked about why the film shares the same title as the famous Victor Hugo book, Ly explained that where the film was shot doesn't happen to be very far from where Hugo wrote Les Miserables in 1862 and the characters in the film share the level of poverty of many in the characters from Hugo's novel.

Actor Damein Bonnard

Actor Alexis Manenti

Actor Issa Perica

Actor Al Hassan Ly