The Partisan (film)

The Partisan is a 2015 Australian psychological thriller film directed by Ariel Kleiman. It stars Vincent Cassel, Nigel Barber, and Florence Mezzara. The film explores themes of control, paranoia, and the loss of innocence within an isolated community.

The story centers on Gregori (Cassel), a charismatic but controlling leader who raises a group of children in a secluded, self-sufficient community, teaching them to view the outside world as dangerous and corrupt. He trains the children to carry out missions to provide for the community, blurring the lines between childhood and adulthood, and right and wrong. As the children grow older, particularly Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel), they begin to question Gregori's motives and the nature of their existence, leading to growing tensions and eventual rebellion within the group.

The Partisan was Kleiman's feature film debut. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.