Alliance Française French Film Festival – Dany

One of French cinema’s most recognisable on-screen talents, François Damiens (The Bélier Family, AF FFF2015; Just to Be Sure, AF FFF2017), has gone down an unconventional path with his directorial debut Dany, shot entirely using hidden cameras.

While serving a long-term jail sentence, habitual criminal Dany (Damiens) learns that his teenage son, Sullivan (Matteo Salamone), has sought a legal emancipation order from the courts. Determined to atone for being an absent father, Dany stages a prison escape, entwining Sullivan and his ‘godfather’, Parrain (Christian Brahy), in a series of clumsy escapades. The trio desperately try to evade the police so Dany can reconcile with Sullivan.

Unapologetically combining the kind of provocation synonymous with MTV’s Jackass franchise with cringe-worthy moments on par with Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm television show, Dany is a bold and devilish cinematic experience. Despite its hidden-camera gimmickry, it delivers genuine cinematic pathos and makes a resounding statement about the shifting relationships between family members.