The White Knights
Description
Inspired by the 2007 controversy in which members of Zoé’s Ark, a French charity organization, were accused of criminal activity in Chad, The White Knights spins the tale of French aid workers on a morally murky mission removing kids from war-torn rural villages. As the NGO crew and a journalist embedded with them establish themselves in a secured facility where they set about winning over locals and treating various ailments, it’s clear from some suspicious behavior and activity that their ultimate goals are not exactly as presented, and the unfolding of their plan adds suspense to the dramatic circumstances of the film. Following bullish group leader Jacques (played by Vincent Lindon) as he hustles fixers and locals to oblige him on his quixotic mission, Lafosse shows a cross-section of Westerners who fervently believe in their moral right to do good at all costs—and locals who, for various reasons, accept and play the role as the “less fortunate recipient.” The White Knights unflinchingly dissects the complicities and complexities of Western charity in Africa, where race, class and colonial history make it quite impossible to do good without harm. —Chanel Kong
Joachim Lafossse (b. 1975) is a Belgian filmmaker. He studied at l’Institut des arts de diffusion (IAD) where his thesis film, Tribu, won Best Short Film at the 2001 Namur Film Festival. Private Madness (2004), his debut feature, was nominated for the Grand Prix in Locarno and won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Bratislava International Film Festival. He’s also directed Private Property (2006), starring Isabelle Huppert, and Private Lessons (2008), starring Jonathan Zaccaï. His semi-autobiographical Ça rend heureux (2006), the Cannes-nominated Our Children (2012) and his latest film, The White Knights (2015), are inspired by real-life events.
Trailer
//player.vimeo.com/video/158108018?autoplay=1Film Details
Language French
Year 2015
Runtime 112
Country France/Belgium
Director Joachim Lafosse
Producer Sylvie Pialat, Jacques-Henri Bronckart, Olivier Bronckart
Writer Joachim Lafosse, Bulle Decarpentries, Thomas Van Zuylen
Editor Sophie Vercruysse
Cinematographer Jean-François Hensgens
Music Apparat
Cast Vincent Lindon, Valérie Donzelli, Reda Kateb, Louise Bourgoin, Rougalta Bintou Saleh