JIFF: The Future Awaits

La vie devant moi

“A sober and powerful tale.” – Le Parisien

“A poignant film.” – Sortir a Paris

Australian Premiere

In the summer of 1942, 13-year-old Tauba and her parents, Polish Jews, are desperately trying to escape the Nazi round-up of Jewish families in Paris. A kind-hearted couple offers them a storeroom under the roof of their building to hide in. This tiny, six-square-metre room becomes their home for the next 765 days as the family endures tough living conditions and an ever-present fear of being discovered.

Based on a true story that emerged from Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, this is a sensitively told, tender story of a teenage girl trying her best to remain hopeful through terrifying circumstances. It’s carried by a deeply moving performance by young actor Violette Guillon as Tauba, while Guillaume Gallienne, well-known as a member of La Comédie-Française, gives an uncharacteristically dramatic performance as Tauba’s father Moshe. The Future Awaits won the Holocaust Representation Award at the 2025 Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival.

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

98 min

Country

France

Language

French (English subtitles)

Cast

Guillaume Gallienne, Violette Guillon, Adeline D’Hermy

Director

Nils Tavernier