French-Tamil filmmaker Lawrence Valin’s exuberant debut feature is a poignant exploration of identity and belonging within Paris’s Tamil community.
Set in the lively La Chapelle district, fondly known as Little Jaffna, the film follows Michael, a young police officer portrayed by Valin himself, who is assigned to infiltrate a local Tamil gang. As Michael delves deeper into the gang’s operations, he confronts the cultural complexities of his dual identity.
Stylistically, Valin skillfully blends elements of Western crime thrillers with the vibrant aesthetics of South Indian cinema capturing the challenges faced by immigrants striving to preserve their roots and integrate into French society while also celebrating the joy and resilience of the vibrant Tamil diaspora.
Lawrence Valin
Lawrence Valin grew up in Paris and graduated from La Fémis’ La Résidence program in 2017. In 2020, his medium-length film The Loyal Man (IFFLA 2021) was selected at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival, where he received the Best Actor Award and was nominated for the 2021 César Award for Best Short Film. His first feature film, Little Jaffna, won the Gan Foundation Award and received the Grand Prix des Prix du Scénario 2023.
