The story of the film “La Brigade” and that of Cathy, who since childhood has dreamed of running her own restaurant. But at 40, nothing went as planned and she finds herself forced to accept a canteen position in a home for young migrants. Her dream still seems to be slipping away… or not?
With “La Brigade”, Louis-Julien Petit wanted to a social comedy, a genre he likes especially to address difficult social issues. The challenge was therefore to be able to deal realistically with the problem of migrant minors, without evading the sword of Damocles they have above their headsthat of an expulsion if they have not integrated training before their 18th birthday.
In this, the character of Cathy Marie was for him the ideal vector: egocentric and sure of herself, her forced immersion in this home, light years away from her concerns, provokes situation comedy from the start of the film. Then, as the viewer, Cathy will discover the reality of the journey of these young peoplefrom their arrival in France to their efforts to integrate there, including the threat of deportation.
As it progresses through the story, the comedy will leave room for emotionwhen Cathy truly understands the story of each member of her squad.
The last third of the film is a real comic outlet for the viewer, a dive into the modern and so particular world of reality TV. A pitiless universe that Cathy loathes, but which will turn out, for her, to be the only way to highlight his brigade.