An ex-convict is trapped in a derelict housing estate and hunted by an invisible evil force.
After the disappearance of several of its inhabitants, deserted housing project Kraken has become an urban legend. Young Idriss, fresh out of jail, decides to enter the building in search of his ex-girlfriend’s brother but soon gets trapped, hunted by horror on every floor.
In this energetic debut feature, a derelict housing estate stars as both location and character – dark and looming on the outside, claustrophobic and menacing inside. The shadowy corridors and worn-down staircases look like mouths ready to swallow you whole, trapping the characters as they search for a way out. Against this grim backdrop, No Way Down blends intense survival horror and slasher dynamics with gritty urban action. The directors use the banlieue setting to maximum effect, and the cast is a mix of established actors and rising talent from the French hip-hop scene, with popular drill rapper Gazo giving the film a raw and authentic feel.
On 6 November, co-director Mohamed Chabane will be present for a Q&A after the screening.
