Fatou, Zouhoudi, Assia, Gabriel...are 14 years old. The school they're attending is nested in the project of the suburbs of Paris. They've decided to form a debate club where they can discuss about what matters most to them: gender equality, immigration, voting. We're filming them during a year, in this democratic forum of their own making, from their timid beginnings to the final debate at the National Assembly. They discover freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. Here, everything's in play: their own identities, their nascent opinions, how they fit in the world and why they want to be heard.

Directed by Julie Chauvin, The Debaters leans on a strong ensemble — Ana Raquel, Assia, Cylvio — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2017.