SYNOPSIS
Swagger takes us into the heads of eleven children and adolescents with surprising personalities growing up in the heart of the poorest housing estates of France. The film makes us see the world through their very personal and unexpected perspectives, their funny and incisive thoughts. By unraveling a mosaic of characters and blending different genres, including musical film and science fiction, Swagger gives life to the words and fantasies of these children from Aulnay and Sevran. Despite their difficult lives, they have dreams and ambition: nobody can take that away from them.
Awards
Nigel Moore Award | DOXA Documentary FF, Vancouver, Canada, 2017
College Jury Prize | Quebec City International FF, Canada, 2017
CAST & CREW
Olivier Babinet
Director
Producer(s)
Marine Dorfmann, Alexandre Perrier
Director of Photography
Timo Salminen
Music by
Jean-Benoît Dunckel
Sound
Valérie Deloof
Edit
Isabelle Devinck
Cast
Aïssatou Dia, Mariyama Diallo, Abou Fofana, Nazario Giordano
Production company(ies)
Faro & Kidam
Olivier Babinet
Olivier Babinet was introduced to the public with the TV series Le Bidule, which was broadcast on Canal+ in 1999. In 2008, he directed his first short film, C’est plutôt genre Johnny Walker. The film won many awards in festivals, including the Special Jury Prize at Clermont-Ferrand. His first feature film, Robert Mitchum Is Dead, co-directed with photographer Fred Kihn, was screened at the 63rd Cannes FF in the ACID selection. The film won the Grand Prize at Premiers Plans Festival in Angers and was nominated for Best First Film at London Festival Raindance. In parallel to his activities as a screenwriter and director, Olivier Babinet worked with Aulnay-sous-Bois school students for two years, in a neighborhood where 50% of families live below the poverty line. This collaboration resulted in these teenagers making eight fantasy and science fiction short films. The idea of making a documentary film about them gradually emerged from these encounters. Babinet was immersed with them for a total of four years. Swagger was presented at the Cannes FF in 2016, in the ACID selection. Olivier Babinet is part of the artist collective “We are Familia” and has directed many music videos (for Cheveu, Zombie Zombie, Tomorrow’s World, Rita Mitsouko, Mathieu Boggaerts, etc.) He also contributes to New York magazine Chalet, in which his semi-imaginary journal, Desire & Disillusion, is published as a series.
Filmography
Le bidule (1999), C'était le chien d'Eddy (short, 2003), C'est plutôt genre Johnny Walker (short, 2008), Robert Mitchum Is Dead (2010), Swagger (doc., 2016), Sexfish (2019).
