The World After Us

Labidi (Aurélien Gabrielli), a young writer with exactly one published story to his credit, sleeps on the floor of an apartment in Paris belonging to his friend Aleksei (Léon Cunha da Costa). Labidi has written a promising first draft for what will be his first novel, about the Algerian War, and the future looks bright. During a visit to Lyon, Labidi visits his Muslim parents’ bar and meets a student named Elisa (Louise Chevillotte, currently appearing in Paul Verhoeven’s controversial Benedetta). He approaches her, gets her phone number, and while he remains the struggling writer, he begins to dream of their future, living together in an apartment beyond their means. Love will do that to you. In her first feature, the writer-director takes us on an alternately alarming and amusing journey through the roller-coaster life of a young Parisian, balancing the demands of a new relationship and literary ambition. The film charms through its engaging characters and moments of real emotion, set against a backdrop of contemporary urban concerns. It also boasts appealing music, mixing a cello-based score with jazz, pop and dance tunes.