DramaWar

Disco Boy

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...

Release Date : 2023-03-09

Language :PolishRussianFrenchIgboEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Films Grand HuitDugong FilmsLa Compagnie CinématographiquePanache ProductionsDIVISIONDonten & Lacroix FilmsStromboli FilmsVOO & Be tv

Production Country : BelgiumFranceItalyPoland

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Aleksei

Original Name : Franz Rogowski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jomo

Original Name : Morr Ndiaye

Gender : Male

Character Name : Udoka

Original Name : Laëtitia Ky

Gender : Female

Character Name : Paul

Original Name : Leon Lučev

Gender : Male

Character Name : Francesco

Original Name : Matteo Olivetti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gavril

Original Name : Robert Więckiewicz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mikhail

Original Name : Michał Balicki

Gender : Male

Character Name : Club Bouncer

Original Name : Ash Goldeh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legion Recruiter

Original Name : Max Geller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legion Recruiter (voice)

Original Name : Giacomo Abbruzzese

Gender : Male

Character Name : Legionnaire Shower

Original Name : Claudio Segaluscio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sunday

Original Name : Mutamba Kalonji

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oba

Original Name : Wahab Oladiti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arafat

Original Name : Salem Kisita

Gender : Male

Character Name : Border Agent

Original Name : Robert Chodur

Gender : Male

Character Name : Truck Driver

Original Name : Bogdan Frankowski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andy

Original Name : Prince Bara

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stefan

Original Name : Dimitri Pacalo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant

Original Name : Reza Akrad Beheshti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rachel

Original Name : Tiffany Tatibouet Cox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grandmother

Original Name : France Albert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hostage

Original Name : Philippe Mamolo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nigerien Soldier

Original Name : Edmond Gomis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chloé

Original Name : Jéromine Chasseriaud

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chloe's Friend

Original Name : Donia Eden

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chloe's Friend

Original Name : Mathilde Soares

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hotel Clerk

Original Name : Assadilah Mouslim

Gender : Male

Character Name : Club Barman

Original Name : Georgi Jivkovv

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-03-06

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.