Director and co-scriptwriter Houda Benyamina has forged her experiences from the Paris suburbs into a strong and meticulously constructed narrative with an epic climax. The main character Dounia, who lives in the Romany slums with her family, dreams of wealth and luxury. She worships Rebecca, the local queen of the underworld, who takes Dounia under her wing and starts to give her various tasks. In parallel to her criminal life, Dounia’s emotional world also undergoes change as she makes tentative moves towards the dancer Djigui. But can Dounia juggle this emerging relationship with her career as a gangster? While still a child, she’s on the cusp of adulthood, wild and curious, but also innocent and fragile. Director Benyamina gave her own sister the difficult task of portraying a heroine who wants to grow up too fast, a risky decision that paid off. The film portrays the experience of living in the ghetto and presents an intriguing gallery of strong female characters, but also touches on universal subjects, such as friendship, love and family.