Disco Boy

2023 1h 32m FR

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 84

DramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After a painful journey through Europe, Aleksei, a Belarusian, joins the Foreign Legion in France and clings to a confused hope of a European identity. Jomo, a Nigerian, fights for the survival and durability of his people in the Niger Delta and is ready to die to defend his ideas. These two young people who are sacrificed and smashed together will, against all odds, meet and their destinies will merge to continue across borders, bodies, life and death...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Franz Rogowski
Aleksei
Morr Ndiaye
Jomo
Laëtitia Ky
Udoka
Leon Lučev
Paul
Matteo Olivetti
Francesco
Robert Więckiewicz
Gavril
Michał Balicki
Mikhail
Ash Goldeh
Club Bouncer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Giacomo Abbruzzese
Writers: Giacomo Abbruzzese
Languages: English, French, Igbo, Polish, Russian
Countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Poland

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 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 0% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 5 languages: English, French, Igbo, Polish, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Poland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Giacomo Abbruzzese, shot by Hélène Louvart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Giacomo Abbruzzese directs. Hélène Louvart behind the camera. Vitalic scores. Fabrizio Federico cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Belgium, France, Italy, Poland. Dialogue in English, French, Igbo, Polish, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 0% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 3 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 5 languages: English, French, Igbo, Polish, Russian.
5International production across 4 countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Poland.
6Directed by Giacomo Abbruzzese, shot by Hélène Louvart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Vitalic. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Fabrizio Federico shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Franz Rogowski and Morr Ndiaye and Laëtitia Ky carry the top of the cast.
10IMDB entry: tt22180518 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 84 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Hélène Louvart
Original score: Vitalic
Editing: Fabrizio Federico
Production design: Esther Mysius
Costume design: Marina Monge
Makeup / hair: Géraldine Belbeoc'h
Sound: Simon Apostolou
Runtime: 92 min · 1h 32m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,500,000
Box office: $2,610
Return: 0% of budget
Original language: FR
IMDB: Disco Boy (2023)

Awards

prix du Jury 5 Continents

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Giacomo Abbruzzese

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-03-06
★ 7/10
If you're expecting some Bee Gees or Donna Summer here, then you're going to be disappointed. Indeed there's precious little disco at all in this story of "Alex" (Franz Rogowski). He and his friend "Mikhail" (Michal Balicki) have a cunning plan to get from their home in Belarus to Poland and then on to France where they may eventually gain citizenship by joining the Foreign Legion. That doesn't quite go to plan, but eventually he finds himself at boot camp and destined for a mission to Niger. It's there that the local "MEND" militia are demanding an end to the cavalier exploitation of the delta by oil companies leaving a trail of death, destruction and pollution behind them. A violent encounter with local leader "Jomo" (Morr Ndiaye) in a river ends up having quite a profound effect on our soldier, one which he must come to terms with when he returns to Paris and meets the enigmatic dancer "Udoka" (Laetitia Ky) - who would appear to be as connected with his recent past as with his present. The story itself is but an incomplete section of his life, it's the photography that makes this more interesting. The use of night-vision imagery, especially in the jungle, works well as does the presentation of the environmental carnage being left behind - oil leaking everywhere, discarded or bombed out pipelines. That sense of the invasive nature of industrial development is quite cleverly carried onwards as "Alex" and his colleagues themselves have little investment in anything but survival. There's not a great deal of dialogue - wanted or needed, and this is the sort of part Rogowski does well - he's neither here nor not a lot of the time. It has a slightly surreal look to it, and though maybe it does meander a little - it certainly does repeat itself now and again - it's still quite a compelling mix of the political and the emotional, and is worth a watch.

Production companies