Exfiltrés

With her five-year-old son in tow and her husband none the wiser, Faustine leaves Paris for Syria to join the self-styled Islamic State. Soon after she arrives in Raqqa, however, it hits her: she’s gone straight to hell. Her desperate husband turns to France’s intelligence service for assistance, but they won’t touch the case. With the help of a few friends, he plans a perilous mission to save his wife and child. Based on a true story, this realistic, empathetic portrait traces several dramatic plotlines, all of which intersect in the mayhem of the Syrian Civil War. The picture achieves a documentary-like realism thanks to its authentic backdrop (filmed in Jordan), understanding of the environment, convincing performances and inclusion of non-professional actors. (Art Film Fest)