Premiering as the opening title in the Critics’ Week section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Jonathan Millet‘s debut “Ghost Trail” had a successful run, screening and winning awards at festivals around the world, including Best Narrative Feature and Best Actor for Adam Bessa at El Gouna.
Inspired by true events, the screenplay opens with Hamid being released by Syrian soldiers into the desert, clearly after enduring torture, alongside a group of other men. The story then cuts to Strasbourg, two years later, where Hamid is working in construction while searching for the man who tortured him. He appears consumed by this mission, with his only other activities being video calls with his mother, now living in a refugee camp in Beirut, and meetings with social workers regarding his residency in France. Over time, we learn that he was once a literature professor in Aleppo and that his wife and daughter were killed in a bombing while he was imprisoned.
Hamid is also part of an underground network of Syrians tracking down fugitive enforcers of the Assad regime across Europe and handing them over to local authorities. His current target is Sami Hanna, also known as Harfaz—the man who tortured him and many others in Sednaya Prison. His search appears to be going nowhere, as even those with leads seem unwilling to share information, preferring to avoid involvement. Everything changes, however, when he meets fellow refugee Yara, who helps him pursue Sami.
Jonathan Millet crafts a narrative that unfolds much like a thriller, anchored in Hamid’s obsessive pursuit and the emotional and moral descent that accompanies it. His inability to let go, mirrored by others in the network, serves as the foundation for a broader commentary.
Revenge, and how it can dominate lives, emerges as a central theme. Closely tied to this is the difficulty of letting go, particularly in circumstances as devastating as Hamid’s. The question of whether individuals like Harfaz should be punished by any means necessary introduces an element of vigilantism. Millet’s stance becomes clear in the ending, a finale that, while emotionally satisfying, feels somewhat romanticized.
The thriller aspect is heightened by Olivier Boonjing’s cinematography, which makes extensive use of tracking shots and distant framing to create an atmosphere of constant surveillance and tension. The suspense truly peaks once Harfaz is found, with the encounters between him and Hamid charged with danger in every glance, gesture, and word.
Adam Bessa delivers a powerful performance as Hamid, especially in these intense exchanges, conveying his internal struggle with striking subtlety. Tawfeek Barhom is equally compelling as Harfaz, presenting a character steeped in ambiguity without revealing too much, which adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.
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Laurent Sénéchal’s editing provides a carefully modulated rhythm, alternating between slower, introspective passages and moments of sharp urgency. Scenes like Hamid’s video calls with his mother offer the only glimpses of tenderness, and are strategically placed to offer emotional contrast.
“Ghost Trail” is an excellent work and a truly promising debut, just a few steps short of being a masterpiece. Jonathan Millet is certainly a director to watch.
