FILM SYNOPSIS:

Bilal is 17 years old, a Kurdish boy from Iraq. He sets off on an adventure-filled journey across Europe. He wants to get to England to see his love who lives there. Bilal finally reaches Calais, but how do you cover 32 kilometers of the English Channel when you can't swim? The boy soon discovers that his trip won't be as easy as he imagined... The community of struggling illegal aliens in Calais is captured with authenticity, from the point of view of people who arrived there knowing nothing about France. This immigrant drama, with wonderful performances by the actors, is a strong story which uses documentary austerity and minimalist style to create a great emotional impact

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY:

Started his career in films as a sound engineer in close to twenty films, including films by Jean-Pierre Mocky, Xavier Beauvois, Michel Deville,Gérard Jugnot, and Robert Altman.

In 1993, Philippe Lioret directs his first feature film, Tombés du ciel, which won a prize that year at the San Sebastian Festival. His features films include: Tenue correcte exigée, in 2001, Mademoiselle and in 2005 L'Equipier, both starring Sandrine Bonnaire, in 2006 Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas, and in 2009 the social drama Welcome, his first collaboration with Vincent Lindon.