La vie secrète des vieux

On the floor of a ballroom, eight old men and women reflect on their past loves and present desires. Mohamed El Khatib draws a portrait of an erased generation in the intimate crossroads of their lives. His tender, lucid approach questions the marginalization of these lives, and the repression of old age in old people's homes. A leading figure in documentary fiction, Mohamed El Khatib has succeeded in renewing this genre through his enlightened choice of subjects, often resulting in anthology performances. Like the 53 Racing-Club de Lens fans featured in Stadium (2017), he brings to the stage voices that were previously largely excluded. Based on a hundred or so interviews conducted after leaving confinement, La Vie secrète des vieux breaks the taboo on their sexuality, exalting a sense of life inversely proportional to the fragility of their bodies.