This is Our Land

Marine Le Pen was defeated in the French election that brought Emmanuel Macron to power, but her far right-wing party, with its nationalist, anti-immigrant platform, lives on to feed the same kind of fear and resentment that led to Donald Trump’s election. THIS IS OUR LAND is a fictionalized story of a working-class single mother in the north of France who naively agrees to run for mayor, representing the Patriotic Bloc. Lucas Belvaux, who previously directed RAPT, a terrific thriller about a French politician’s kidnapping, deals with another type of kidnapping here: With the help of a charming André Dussollier as the town’s esteemed physician, the Populists’ rhetoric seizes control of the minds of the electorate. Catherine Jacob stars as the blonde-bobbed leader who never met an angry crowd she couldn’t make angrier.

“The film is a shoo-in for stateside distribution, since Belvaux’s theme is the cinematic equivalent of all those articles trying to understand the disgruntled white voters who supported Trump.” - Variety

“THIS IS OUR LAND is essential viewing for its damning critiques.” – Film Inquiry

“THIS IS OUR LAND is not only a great entertainment, it is also a powerful warning.” – 20 Minutes