Part of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s mission is to foster greater understanding through world cinema. This year 72 Foreign Language films were submitted for Golden Globes consideration. Here is an overview of one of them.

Directed by Cédric Jimenez and co-written by Audrey Diwan and Cédric Jimenez The Connection was conceived and intentionally produced as the European flipside (and tribute) to William Friedkin’s 1971 classic The French Connection.

The Connection is stylishly shot on 35 mm and returns the viewer to the cinematic tradition of the 70s. The picture is a period crime thriller and at the same time a serious drama inspired by true events of that time. It tells the story of real-life Marseilles magistrate Pierre Michel (Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin) and his relentless crusade to dismantle one of the most notorious drug smuggling operations in history: so called French Connection.

His main antagonist is a very charismatic, but at the same time ruthless mafia kingpin, Gatean “Tany” Zampa (Gilles Lellouche), who runs the largest underground heroin trade from France into the United States. The fearless and tenacious Michel, aided by a task force of elite cops, which may or may not be corrupt, will stop at nothing, including boldly orchestrated raids, spectacular arrests, and elaborate interrogations to ensure the crime ring’s demise. But Zampa's criminal cartel "La French" always seems one step ahead.

As La French mounts its brutal retaliation, Michel will be forced to make the most difficult decision of his life: to continue waging his noble war, or to ensure his own and his family’s safety, before it's too late.

The Connection is director and co-writer Cédric Jimenez’ second feature film following the critically acclaimed Aux yeux de tous. Being a native of Marseilles, a city long known for its drug trafficking activities, Jimenez brings a keen sense of place to his latest film.

Besides the equally talented stars Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche, who sometimes – as if by design – look like brothers, the film features Céline Sallette, Mélanie Doutey and Benoît Magimel.

Serge Rakhlin