A Prophet
A Prophet (French: Un prophète) is a 2009 French prison drama film directed by Jacques Audiard and co-written by Audiard with Thomas Bidegain.[1] The story centers on Malik El Djebena, portrayed by Tahar Rahim, a 19-year-old illiterate man of Algerian origin sentenced to six years in prison for assaulting a police officer, who upon arrival must adapt to the hierarchical control exerted by the Corsican mafia led by César Luciani (Niels Arestrup).[2] Forced to commit a murder to prove loyalty, Malik experiences visions of the deceased and progressively builds his own influence among Muslim inmates while learning to read and leveraging internal conflicts to challenge Corsican dominance.[3] Widely praised for its unflinching depiction of institutional violence, ethnic tensions, and personal transformation, the film earned the Grand Prix at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.[4] It secured nine César Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor for Rahim, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[5][6]