A Prophet

A Prophet follows Malik El Djebena, a young illiterate Arab man sentenced to six years in a French prison, where he is forced to commit a murder for a Corsican mob boss to survive. Through violence, cunning, and quiet observation, Malik transforms from a vulnerable outsider into a formidable criminal force. Jacques Audiard crafts a gripping, visceral crime epic that doubles as a haunting portrait of identity, power, and self-invention.

• Director Jacques Audiard spent five years developing the script.
• Tahar Rahim had little acting experience before landing the lead role.
• The film won the Grand Prix at Cannes 2009.
• Most prison scenes were filmed in actual French prisons.
• The film was France's submission for the Academy Awards.

• I don't know anything. I can't read or write.
• You're an Arab who makes himself useful to Corsicans.
• When you go in, you know nothing. When you come out, you know even less.
• You're not Corsican, you're not Arab. You're nothing.
• I saw him before he died. I see him all the time now.