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In a Better World

Name: In a Better World
Director: Émilie Frèche
Released: 2022
Duration: 98 min

Representation Score

6.4/10

Good

2022

Director

Émilie Frèche

Runtime

98 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

In a Better World is a social realist drama that centers its conflict on the friction between individual morality and systemic authority. The film's primary strength lies in its engagement with racialized policing and the ability to act granted to underrepresented characters. By positioning an immigrant youth as the catalyst for the protagonist's moral evolution, the film moves beyond simple melodrama into a critique of state power. While the film excels in racial and cultural representation, it lacks visibility regarding LGBTQ+ identities and disability. The gender dynamics offer a more balanced distribution of ability to act than typical patriarchal narratives, though the focus remains heavily on the immediate immigrant-driven crisis.

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Category Breakdown

Does In a Better World have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on a domestic crisis involving an immigrant youth and a local family. There is no explicit depiction of non-binary or transgender identities, nor does it specifically challenge the idea that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does In a Better World portray gender?

Fair

Gabrielle plays a central role alongside David, sharing the narrative's weight. The film challenges traditional gender roles by centering the emotional and ethical labor of the household during a survival scenario.

How racially and ethnically diverse is In a Better World?

Excellent

The story centers on the intersection of a local family and a underrepresented immigrant youth. This positioning grants a significant role in driving the story to a non-white character within a Western domestic setting.

How does In a Better World represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film deconstructs Western institutions by framing state authorities as oppressive forces. It prioritizes human solidarity and subjective ethics over legalistic or patriotic adherence to the state.

Does In a Better World include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no discernible evidence regarding the inclusion or portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong racial and ethnic representation through the central immigrant narrative.
Effective cultural critique of state and institutional authority.
Nuanced gender dynamics that distribute ability to act within the domestic sphere.

Limited or Absent

Lack of visible LGBTQ+ representation or non-binary identities.
No discernible inclusion of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

On the road of Briançon, David's car hits a young immigrant chased by the police. Instinctively, David hides him into the boot, and brings him to his home with his wife Gabrielle and his two children. Upset by this teenager's fate, David will help him by all costs.

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