FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL: The Giants

Adolescent brothers Seth and Zak, and their troubled friend Dany, are left to their own devices one summer by ageing or absent parents. With no money and a taste for weed, the boys fall in with a local dealer named ‘Beef’. When they make an ill-conceived transaction with the dealer, they find themselves wholly out of their depth. Beef and his sadistic entourage force the brothers from their home, and the three boys are required to fend for themselves in an unsympathetic world. At times their plight is almost unbearable to watch, but the boys’ beautiful performances make it worthwhile. This is a sensitive coming-of-age story with a rather French twist. (RF) ***