Life Kills Me /
Vivre Me Tue (R)

by Jean-Pierre Sinapi

Paul and Daniel Smaïl are brothers, born in France of Moroccan descent; their grandfather was killed serving in the French army, and their father is a quiet and law-abiding "model immigrant". Despite this, Paul and Daniel carry their dual culture as a burden. Paul is intelligent and highly educated, but is full of repressed anger; he spends his time reading, dreaming and boxing. His younger brother Daniel, rebellious yet fragile, loves only two things: Paul, and bodybuilding - which he pursues relentlessly.

From internationally acclaimed director Pierre Sinapi (Nationale 7/Uneasy Riders), Life Kills Me is a strongly natural and moving portrayal of the 'next generation' of migrants - French-born and yet aware and ultimately shaped by their ethnicities - seeking to fit into the society they grew up in, despite always being somewhat removed from it.

Featuring blistering performances from Sami Bouajila (Funny Felix, Artemisia), Jalil Lespert and Sylvie Testud (Blessures Assassines) Life Kills Me is a coruscating, uncompromising and affecting story of two brothers, of differences lived out through anger, and of the possibility of salvation.

France - 2003 - Drama - 85mn - French with English subtitles
Director: Jean-Pierre Sinapi
Script: Jean-Pierre Sinapi, Daniel Tonachella
With: Sami Bouajila, Jalil Lespert, Sylvie Testud, Simon Bakinde, Roger Ibanez, Teco Celio, Marc Andreoni, Djemel Barek, François Sinapi, M'hamed Benguetaff