The Foreign Press x Unifrance Prize, awarded by a jury of international journalists, for the first time honored a French television drama selected at the Festival de la Fiction de La Rochelle, held in the Atlantic port from September 10 to 15.
The Test, directed by Akim Isker, written by Fanny Chesnel & Noémie de Lapparent, produced by Morgane Production, and distributed by Film & Picture, was honored at this year's Festival de la Fiction de La Rochelle awards ceremony, held on Saturday September 14.
The Test follows in the footsteps of Ambre, a young law student encouraged by parents of modest means who dream of her becoming a lawyer. Having become a mother at an early age, she juggles university and Nolan, her son. After failing her exams, and with her family deeming her incapable of looking after a child, Ambre slams the door on both university and the family home. Soon confronted with the reality of life as a single mother, she accepts the only opportunity open to her: to become a garbage collector for the city of Paris...
Frankie Wallach, Bernard Campan, Clémentine Célarié, Zacharie Chasseriaud, Moussa Sylla, Chad Chenouga, and Anne Suarez are among the cast of this poignant television drama, scheduled for broadcast on France 2 on September 25.
This year's jury for the Foreign Press x Unifrance Prize was made up of journalists João Antunes (Portugal), Noémie Jadoulle (Belgium), and Stefania Carini (Italy). In their deliberations, they praised the quality of the works competing for the prize, and said of À l'épreuve: "The TV film we have chosen stands out from the others for the strength of its lead character, brilliantly played, and for its direction and stylistic choices. Also because it introduces us to a world that is little-known, yet so close, and because it tackles with accuracy and finesse a subject that is unfortunately universal and concerns more and more young people in France, but also throughout Europe: the precariousness and cruelty of the working world."
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