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Following the unlawful killing of her younger brother by police in a suburb of Strasbourg, France, her family in mourning, Malika embarks on a legal battle for justice. However, her quest for truth is in danger of jeopardising her family. 

Synopsis

The suspicious death of Karim, killed by police during an investigation, ignites pain and passion in his Strasbourg suburb community as he becomes yet another victim in France’s history of racial profiling and police violence. Malika must decide whether the battle against authorities who are determined to cover up their crime is worth the cost to her family and wellbeing. Starring Camélia Jordana (French-Algerian pop singer) and Sofiane (French-Algerian rapper).

Media Gallery

A male and female face eachother, with a large building and group of people behind them
Wall of posters with "Justice for Karim" in French

“Filled with palpable mourning, tension and rage, After the Fire tells the story of one family dealing with a death at the hands of the police – with a visually stunning backdrop that captures the strained police-community relations, structural racism, and socioeconomic deprivation of today’s urban France.”
-    Kartik Raj, researcher, Europe & Central Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
 

Read about HRW's work in France
April 11, 2024
France: Groups Seek UN Intervention to Address Racial Profiling
March 8, 2024
France: Ensure Muslim Women, Girls Can Play Sports

Credits

Mehdi Fikri

Director
Photo of the Director, male with glasses

Mehdi Fikri (he/him) worked for years as a journalist, during which time he made several investigations into police brutality, working-class neighbourhoods and social movements. In 2012, he directed a Mediapart web documentary, "Chronique d'une (r)évolution manquée", his first step into the audiovisual world. He went on to work as a screenwriter on TV series (Hippocrate by Thomas Lilti, and Miskina by Melha Bedia), and directed two shorts, one of which, Descente 4AM, screened at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival. AFTER THE FIRE is his feature film debut.

Michaël Gentile and The Film

Producer
Photo of Producer, male with headphones

Former TV producer and Radio director, Michaël founded his production company The Film in 2002. The Film pursues an eclectic editorial policy, favoring filmmakers with strong identities. Throughout the years he has produced more than 15 films.

Topshot Films

Producer

Topshot Films is an independent production company set up in 2013 by Bastien Daret, Arthur Goisset and Robin Robles as they were still students at the prestigious La Fémis, with the aim of accompanying original and powerful stories, without constraints of format or length. The company has since produced around twenty short fiction films, creative documentaries, as well as music videos and commercial films. It is currently developing the first feature-length films of directors it has met in the short film format.