Cannes 2026 (Directors’ Fortnight): Gabin (dir. Maxence Voiseux) | Review
Maxence Voiseux offers a condensed portrait of young Gabin’s childhood, having watched him grow over the course of ten years into a confident and passionate young man.
In his debut feature-length documentary, Gabin, which had its world premiere at Cannes 2026 during the 58th edition of the Directors’ Fortnight, director Maxence Voiseux delivers—after a decade-long shoot—a luminous portrait of a young boy he watched grow up.
Gabin lives in a small rural village in Northern France, in the heart of the Artois region. His father, who runs a butcher shop he built and made thrive over the years, earnestly wishes to pass down this legacy—the fruit of hard labor—to one of his sons when he retires. Meanwhile, his mother strives to keep her small dairy farm afloat, which is minimally mechanized and barely profitable. It is within this context that the young boy grows up, torn between his father’s expectations, his desire to help his mother, and his own aspirations, which begin to take shape as his identity develops.
Through Gabin’s journey, the director documents the resilience of younger generations in a challenging economic climate, amidst the social decline of several professions that are nonetheless essential to our modern European societies. Highly alert, skillful, and perceptive, the young boy understands from a very early age the challenges his parents face: a heavy workload, physical hardship, and uncertain profitability, all of which leave little room for a fulfilling family life. Nevertheless, he decides not to turn away from the dreams he has harbored since childhood, choosing instead to pursue his apprenticeship in the agricultural sector. With the invaluable support of the educational teams who guide him over the years, Gabin patiently carves out his own path.
The film consists exclusively of direct cinema sequences, filmed between Gabin’s eighth and eighteenth years. While Maxence Voiseux uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, which helps create greater intimacy with his subject, his camera nonetheless maintains a proper distance, never intruding upon the protagonists’ privacy or revealing any judgment on his part. The director’s kindness and respect toward the young boy are notably reflected in the harmony of the shots and a realistic color grading.
What stays with us is the optimism and resilience that radiate from the film, which successfully captures ten years of Gabin’s life in a short span of time, leaving the viewer with a sense of tenderness toward this boy who is so full of life.
Our team is on site for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, from May 12 to 23, 2026.
