Army of Crime

Set in Nazi-occupied Paris, this historical drama follows Missak Manouchian, an Armenian immigrant, woodworker, and poet. Manouchian leads a diverse group of foreign laborers and partisans consisting of twenty-two men and one woman. Together, they conduct underground operations against the occupiers and collaborators to fight for human rights and freedom. Despite the efforts of the French police and the Gestapo to dismantle the group through surveillance and torture, the fighters continue their resistance. The Nazis eventually attempt to use the group as a propaganda tool by labeling them an Army of Crime, though this effort fails as the members become symbols of the Resistance.

The film was directed by Robert Guédiguian and represents the third feature in a chronological sequence of his works that includes Last Summer and Dieu vomit les tièdes. The cast features Simon Abkarian in the lead role, alongside Virginie Ledoyen, Robinson Stévenin, Lola Naymark, Adrien Jolivet, and Pierre Niney. Produced in France with a budget of 10 million USD, the movie has received a moderate reception from audiences, holding a 6.4 rating on TMDB based on 118 votes. Film critics gave the production a slightly higher score of 6.8 based on 34 reviews.