Hands Up

As an analysis of power relations "Les Mains en l'air" is one of the finest child-films I've ever seen. The film is also an excellent example of how the French have made ​​the most interesting political films of 2000's - and it is possible by describing the situation of children.

List of the politically strong, originally intelligent films is staggering: Tavernier's "Ça commence aujourd'hui" (1999), Nicolas Philibert's documentary "To be and to have" (2002), Laurent Cantet's docufiction "The Class" (2008), and just alongside the previous films this Romain Goupil's film "Les Mains en l'air".

The frame story begins in year 2067. The central character Milana tries to explain to an alleged recipient (of her time) that it may seem unbelievable how in 2009 the children were grown in large groups. There is also another fantastical element: the children have their own cell phones with a ringtone (ultrasound) that adults can not hear.

If these ideas seem utopian to audience, it will have to think twice about what really counts as utopian in the actual story of escape.