Tirailleurs visits an often forgotten part of WWI : the fate of the African men who were kidnapped and forced to fight for the west. The premise promises to be heart-breaking, certainly, but the film adds poetry and humanity to this dark chapter in history.
Omar Sy and Alassane Diong act brilliantly as a father and son duo, making conflicting choices in a tragic situation. The film explores the many (sometimes contradicting) ways in which one can be brave; it's a story about the meaning of moral integrity and the will to survive, wether physically or in memory.
As per usual in french cinema, the movie is slow, and the themes are subtle. One has to contemplate, more than just watch. However, I do think it remains accessible to the general public, as long as you expect a drama rather than an action-packed experience. Maybe not a fun movie, but an important one.
Plot summary
During World War I, a father enlists himself in the French Army in order to be with his 17-year-old son who was recruited against his will. Sent to the front, they find themselves facing the war together in the French colony of Senegal.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Do not forget me, do not forget us.
Senegalese and French
I enjoyed the movie. It have some interesting parts. Mostly with the father and the son who will try to survive from what happened to them: they will need to fight in the war. But the father will try to get his son and himself out. But his son will have other plans with another caporal. And the promotion will get him away of his father. And the son will forget to escape but will want to fight back. Son and father will disagree and they will fight. The son will also avoid of the escape of his father and will go back to the war. After some research, his father will see him back but he will die under the fire. And the movie end with a tribute to the soldiers in France
The movie was pretty ok and talked about subjects that we can understand: money, family, fight, relationship between father and son. A brief mention to womans. It have some more emotions moments mostly when the son will rebel himself against his father and that was pretty heartbreaking. A nice movie anyway, dont avoid some cliché but was good enough.
Way too slow, but good actors
Another "awesome" moment of the French history... Not only did we colonise countries that didn't need us there, but we also kidnapped their kids, forced them into our armies, and sent them to the French front during World War I. "Fun" fact, we had promised them French nationality and help with their life later on... Which we never actually did. And to add to all this, we of course never talk about it in our History books. The movie is based on this premise, how a father, followed his kidnapped son, to a training camp, where he saw his son being manipulated into thinking it was his fight, and sacrifice his life for the greater good of a France he only saw to be weaponised. The story is a very sad one, but most of all, a story that needs to be told a lot more. Omar Sy is incredible in this movie, a great actor, with a depth that we are not used to see him play, as he is usually a lot more in comedy movies. His son is played by his nephew, which helps a lot in the relationship that you see on screen. All actors are very good in the movie. However, the movie is very long, and very slow, which is a shame for a movie with a great story and great actors. Do you need to see it? Yes, it's a piece of History that tends to be forgotten. Will you like it? No clue, but I came out of the cinema being quite disappointed.