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Still from The Sentinel

Shorts & Mid-length · Asia Premiere

The Sentinel La Sentinelle

Directed by Ali Cherri

Screens as part of Programme 8: No Man’s Land.

Screening at DIFF 2026

Fri30 to Friday 30 Oct · PictureTime 3
Plan it in the app

Opens the free DIFF 2026 app. It checks for clashes and adds walking time between screens.

Runtime
29 min
Year
2026
Country
France
Language
Arabic, French
Subtitles
English
Premiere
Asia

Synopsis

On Bastille Day, Sergeant Lafleur buckles under military routine. A doctor grants him one night of freedom, under the condition that he shall return before dawn. Nocturnal wanderings begin in the heart of a world which gradually drifts away from reality. A night suspended between destiny and desertion.

Director

Ali Cherri Ali CherriAli Cherri is a Paris-based artist and filmmaker born in Beirut. Winner of the Silver Lion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, his debut feature The Dam premiered at Cannes (Directors’ Fortnight). His shorts include The Watchman (Rotterdam 2024) and The Sentinel (Semaine de la Critique 2026).

Cast and crew

Producer
Imane Farès, Rémi Bonhomme
Writer
Ali Cherri
Cinematographer
Frida Marzouk
Editor
Vincent Tricon
Sound
Julien Sena, Martin Delescaux, Simon Apostolou
Music
Zeid Hamdan
Cast
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Eric Cantona, Georges Torbey

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More shorts & mid-length at DIFF 2026