Avenue de France (2010)
A ten-minute French short film in which a father's quiet evening walk with his baby becomes a charged encounter with racial suspicion and institutional injustice.
Avenue de France - Movie Information
- Original Title: Avenue de France
- Release Year: 2010
- Directed by: Didier Blasco
- Type: Movie
- Runtime: 10m
- Original Language: French
- Release Date (Theatrical): November 8, 2010 (France)
Avenue de France - Plot
Kamal is peacefully walking in the street, to help his baby go to sleep. Controled by the police, they accuse him of stealing his own child. An ordinary evening in France: suspicion and denial of justice, life under lock and key, behind the video surveillance camera.
Where to Watch Avenue de France
Looking for where to watch Avenue de France?
Compare all viewing options available in your region on JustWatch ↗
Avenue de France - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Didier Blasco
Main Cast
- Asil Raïs
- Marie Payen
- Linon Préhu
- David Rousseau
- Jérôme Domenge
- Magloire Bena
- Elyas Zenasni
- Farid Zenasni
- Zoé Féron
- Milan Belm
Avenue de France - FAQs
What is Avenue de France about?
Avenue de France follows Kamal, a father quietly walking the streets to lull his baby to sleep. A routine police stop turns into something far more troubling when officers accuse him of stealing his own child. In just ten minutes, the film captures racial suspicion, institutional injustice, and the quiet indignity of life under surveillance in contemporary France.
Why do the police accuse Kamal of stealing his child?
The film never offers an explicit justification — and that's precisely the point. Kamal is stopped based on suspicion alone, with no evidence of wrongdoing. The scene reflects a broader critique of racial profiling in France, where appearance can be enough to trigger institutional scrutiny, even in the most ordinary domestic situation imaginable.
What themes does Avenue de France explore?
The film tackles racial profiling, the denial of justice, and the surveillance state in modern France. Director Didier Blasco uses a deceptively simple premise — a father walking his baby — to expose how systemic bias operates in everyday life, turning an innocent evening stroll into a charged encounter with institutional power.
Is Avenue de France based on a true story?
While no single documented incident is cited as the direct source, the scenario Blasco depicts reflects real and widely reported experiences of racial profiling by police in France. The film draws its power from its plausibility — the kind of injustice it portrays is not exceptional but disturbingly ordinary for many people.
Who directed Avenue de France?
Avenue de France was directed by Didier Blasco. Released in France in November 2010, the short film demonstrates a sharp social conscience and a confident economy of storytelling, delivering a pointed commentary on race and justice in under ten minutes.
Who stars in Avenue de France?
The film features Asil Raïs in the central role of Kamal, alongside Marie Payen, Linon Préhu, David Rousseau, Jérôme Domenge, Magloire Bena, Elyas Zenasni, Farid Zenasni, Zoé Féron, and Milan Belm rounding out the cast.
How long is Avenue de France?
Avenue de France runs just 10 minutes — a deliberately compact runtime that suits its subject perfectly. Blasco strips away everything non-essential, leaving only the raw encounter between a father and a system that refuses to see him clearly. It's a short film that lingers long after it ends.
What films are similar to Avenue de France?
If Avenue de France resonated with you, consider exploring Les Misérables (1958), Chaos (2001), or Kompromat (2022) for more French cinema tackling justice and social tension. Three Men and a Cradle (1985) offers a lighter take on unexpected fatherhood, while Bloody Milk (2017) and Case 137 (2025) continue the thread of institutional scrutiny.
More About Avenue de France
Explore further details and community data for this film.