The ordeals faced by illegal migrants have been better highlighted in quite a few films than in this French drama, directed by Philippe Lioret, which places an immigrant's story within a glum tale of midlife woes. Vincent Lindon plays a Calais-based swimming teacher who is in the doldrums after breaking up with his wife. He befriends his newest pupil, a 17-year-old Iraqi Kurd (Firat Ayverdi), and learns that he hopes to swim the Channel, this being the only way he can get to London and save his girlfriend from a forced marriage. Such a melodramatic set-up is no way to win round viewers who aren't predisposed to sympathise with immigrants - or with gloomy middle-aged men.
15, 110 mins