Disco Boy

Under the guise of attending an international football match, Aleksei (Franz Rogowski) and his friend flee their home of Belarus. Unfortunately only Aleksei makes it to their desired destination of France. Tempted by the prospect of acquiring a French passport after five years of service, the young man joins their infamous Foreign Legion. Meanwhile, in the Niger Delta, Jomo (Morr Ndiaye) and his sister (Laëtitia Ky) also dream of Europe – of dancing in clubs, instead of being forced to defend their community against the ruthless exploitation of their land. On Aleksei’s first overseas deployment, the paths of the two men cross and will change their lives forever.

Italian director Giacomo Abbruzzese’s debut feature stuns with outside-the-box camerawork and editing choices to depict the upending of worlds. Thermal imaging is used that simultaneously draw from a naturalistic idea of wild beasts fighting in the jungle, as well as the literal inhumanity of war and technological advancements that only further an agency of annihilation. 

For this complex part, German showpiece actor Rogowski not only had to learn lines in languages he doesn’t speak, he also familiarised himself with the particularities of French spoken with an Slavic accent to embody his character’s migration in an authentic manner. The physical efforts of military training, combat and dancing, naturally (the stunning choreography by Qudus Onikeku includes elements of West African folk dance), add to an all-encompassing and hypnotic performance makes him a hot contender for the Silver Bear.

Without committing to a deity or specific belief system, Disco Boy is a deeply spiritual film. It doesn’t obscure the “other” or take sides in the outlined warfare, but instead offers a literal interpretation of the taking of a life and subsequently carrying it with you wherever you go.

Selina Sondermann

Disco Boy does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2023 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Disco Boy here: