And Their Children After Them review – racism and revenge festers in smalltown France

Our tour guide of sorts is gauche Anthony (wonderfully embodied by Paul Kircher), who is 14 years old at the start of the tale. One night he takes his dad’s motorbike and rides out of town to a party, forlornly hoping to impress beautiful, middle-class Steph (Angelina Voreth). In the garden Anthony is involved in a brief altercation with Hacine (Sayyid El Amani), an “Arab kid” who promptly absconds with the bike as payback. Anthony and Hacine probably have more in common than either would care to admit. They’re both from poor families, both saddled with abusive dads, both desperate to save face and break free from Heillange. It is only history and circumstance that has made them believe they’re enemies.