Rebellion

2011 2h 16m FR

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 114

DramaActionHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

April 1988, Ouvéa Island, New Caledonia. 30 gendarmes are taken hostage by a group of Kanak freedom fighters. 300 soldiers are sent from France to re-establish order. 2 men confront each other: Philippe Legorjus, chief of the terrorist squad, and Alphonse Dianou, head of the kidnappers. Through their shared values, they will attempt to make discussion triumph. But, in the middle of a presidential election, when the stakes are political, order isn't always dictated by morality. A violent and troubling epic that marks the return of Mathieu Kassovitz in front and behind the camera.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Mathieu Kassovitz
Philippe Legorjus
Iabe Lapacas
Alphonse Dianou
Malik Zidi
JP Perrot
Alexandre Steiger
Jean Bianconi
Daniel Martin
Bernard Pons
Philippe Torreton
Christian Prouteau
Sylvie Testud
Chantal Legorjus
Jean-Philippe Puymartin
Général de Gendarmerie Jérôme

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Writers: Pierre Geller, Benoît Jaubert, Mathieu Kassovitz
Languages: French
Countries: France, New Caledonia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, New Caledonia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, shot by Marc Koninckx. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Klaus Badelt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Thomas Béard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Mathieu Kassovitz and Iabe Lapacas and Malik Zidi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1242521 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mathieu Kassovitz directs. Marc Koninckx behind the camera. Klaus Badelt scores. Thomas Béard cuts. Produced in France, New Caledonia. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 15 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: France, New Caledonia.
3Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, shot by Marc Koninckx. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Klaus Badelt. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Thomas Béard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Mathieu Kassovitz and Iabe Lapacas and Malik Zidi carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1242521 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Marc Koninckx
Original score: Klaus Badelt
Editing: Thomas Béard
Production design: Bruno Coupe
Costume design: Agnès Beziers
Makeup / hair: Alexis Kinebanyan
Stunt coordinator: Laurent Alexandre
Runtime: 136 min · 2h 16m
Status: Released
Original language: FR
Certification (US): 14
IMDB: Rebellion (2011)

Also by

Mathieu Kassovitz

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

deepkino2025-07-05
★ 6/10
Matthieu Kassovitz, who made a big splash with his 1995 film La Haine, returns with a new film based on a real event that took place in 1988 in New Caledonia, France’s overseas territory in the Pacific. Gendarmerie chief Philippe Legorjus is sent with his men to Ouvéa to negotiate with Kanak separatists holding hostages. However, there is no ground for negotiation—the French army has already taken a combat stance. Time is running out, as elections are near and the mainland wants quick results. This ever-intense uprising is both a gripping action film and a political drama. Kassovitz not only wrote and directed the film but also stars in the lead role. It portrays the separatists’ struggle for freedom alongside the politicians’ fight for power... A highly sensitive topic! The result is a compact and realistic film—cinematically, politically and humanely.

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