The Prix Croire au Cinéma has found a powerful voice in its 2025 winner: Les Fantômes, directed by Jonathan Millet. This breathtaking thriller delves into one of the most haunting issues of our time—the presence of Syrian war criminals hidden among asylum seekers in Europe. With meticulous documentation and masterful storytelling, Millet crafts a film that is as gripping as it is thought-provoking.
At its core, Les Fantômes follows Hamid, a Syrian refugee who barely escapes the horrors of Aleppo’s jails. Yet survival does not equate to peace as he navigates a landscape where past atrocities continue to haunt the present. The film’s raw power lies in its nuanced exploration of justice: Should one seek vengeance, or can healing be found through different means?
Millet’s feature-length debut is particularly relevant in today’s geopolitical climate, raising questions that resonate far beyond the screen. The performances of Adam Bessa and Tawfeek Barhom inject the film with an intensity that oscillates between tension and vulnerability, making their portrayals profoundly human and unforgettable.
With a jury led by Anne Ponce and composed by Renaud Fély, Alain Ughetto, Véronique Alzieu, and Emmanuel Querry, Les Fantômes stood out as a work of cinematic courage. It is a film that does not just recount history but confronts its ghosts head-on, leaving audiences with a lingering sense of reflection.
By awarding Les Fantômes the Prix Croire au Cinéma, the jury has recognized a film that transcends borders, speaks to universal moral dilemmas, and reminds us that true justice is often found in the struggle between memory and reconciliation.
Created in 2021 by SIGNIS-Cinéma association, the Prix Croire au cinéma aims to promote cinema open to human concerns and the spiritual dimension of life.
Each year, it selects a feature film from all films released in French cinemas for its artistic qualities and the values it highlights, such as peace, justice, forgiveness, solidarity with the most vulnerable, respect for human dignity, and environmental protection.