In 2021, the United States ended its twenty-year war in Afghanistan.
But for those who remained in Kabul, the real battle had only just begun.

On August 15, 2021, as the Taliban advanced and seized the capital Kabul, the Afghan government collapsed overnight, leaving the French Embassy as the final line of refuge. Commander Mohamed Bida was urgently tasked with leading only a handful of armed officers to protect hundreds of French nationals. Within just 13 days, they had to guide them across a city engulfed in warfare and evacuate through the final exit from this living hell.

Adapted from the firsthand experiences of this diplomatic special-operations commander, the film—directed by veteran filmmaker Martin Bourboulon (Eiffel, The Three Musketeers)—uses sharp yet steady visuals to bring one of the most perilous evacuation missions of our time to the big screen. It captures the turmoil of the Taliban’s takeover and the terror that swept the city in the wake of its collapse.

Cannes Best Actor Roschdy Zem leads the film as the tough, resolute commander, joined by Lyna Khoudri (The French Dispatch) and César winner Cécile de France as they charge into the line of fire. Highlighting the power of human solidarity in moments of extreme crisis, the film premiered in the Cannes Film Festival’s Out of Competition section, immediately sparking international acclaim and discussion.