Paris (AFP)

They made the whole world laugh with "Untouchables" and "The meaning of the party". Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache are now crying with "Unusual", with Vincent Cassel and Reda Kateb, on associations helping young autistic people.

"Maybe this film is emotionally stronger," conceded Eric Toledano on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival where the film was presented in closing.

But it is "in the wake of what we did, with themes that were in our previous films, such as the community, the world of work, disability, exclusion, the notion of margin and standard" . It remains to be seen if the public will follow.

Because, even without taking into account the incredible cardboard of "Untouchables" (19.5 million entries in France and 31.9 million abroad), the two accomplices are accustomed to fill the rooms in France as to abroad, to the point of being often considered as true ambassadors of the hexagonal cinema.

Seen in 55 territories, their previous film "The meaning of the party" (2017), with Jean-Pierre Bacri as wedding organizer, attracted two million spectators outside France (in addition to 3 million in France).

In theaters Wednesday, "Exceptional" is the story of Bruno and Malik, one is Jewish Orthodox and single without children when the other describes himself as a practicing Muslim and father of three children.

Beyond their differences, they work together to manage day-to-day associations dealing with autistic teenagers and training young neighborhoods to manage these cases ultra-complex, sometimes violent.

While Bruno, played by an amazing Vincent Cassel, repeats in a loop: "I'll find a solution" and opens night apartments for young autistic, Malik (Reda Kateb) spends part of his days in his van driving them to activities.

Exceeding the rules, often pulling the devil by the tail, Bruno is under the influence of a Social Affairs investigation that will force him to question his role.

- Inspired by true stories -

A story inspired by real events and the work of the associations "The Silence of the Righteous" and "The Relay IDF", respectively created by Stéphane Benhamou and Daoud Tatou.

"It's been 15-20 years that we know these associations, they fill a gap in the pathology that is autism especially for heavy cases," says Olivier Nakache.

But no question of making a biopic or a documentary: they favored fiction, choosing to bring together actors and non-professionals, adults and children.

"To embody these characters, we needed two charismatic and powerful actors.Vincent Cassel and Reda Kateb, we have never seen them play together.They have spent time with their real character and with children," remember the two directors .

Most autistics on the screen are also in life, like Joseph (Benjamin Lesieur), a character attaching to whom Bruno tries to find a job, accompanying him in the morning to avoid slippage (as draw the alarm bell in the subway, a running gag of the movie).

For this result, Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache have sifted through many associations, in search of "good people". "Even the heavy cases are the real ones". With the key to a human adventure and a film sometimes complicated where "it was necessary to acclimate some children to the world that would surround them during the shots".

"After spending two years in these associations, I'm not sure where the standard is, where is the margin," said Eric Toledano, happy to defend a generous cinema.

There are "negative models put forward everyday, and that are real, but what works also deserves to exist and to be developed." It's not just them. people in this energy, there in France, who really deserve our attention ".

© 2019 AFP