After waking up in an apartment the night after a raging party, Sam comes face to face with his new reality: an army of zombies have invaded the streets of Paris and he is one of the lone survivors. A film by Dominique Roche, starring Anders Danielsen Lie, Golshifteh Farahani, and Denis Lavant.

Sam (Anders Danielsen Lie), a musician, drops in on his ex-girlfriend Fanny’s apartment in Paris to get his cassette tapes that she took when she left him. When he arrives, he is surprised to see many people there; it is apparently a party. Sam walks through the crowd, attempting to find Fanny. Fanny (Sigrid Bouaziz) is happy to see him, asserting that she didn’t think he would actually come. Sam is a bit upset that Fanny didn’t give him a heads-up that she is celebrating. However, she says they’re friends of Mathieu (David Kammenos), her new boyfriend.

Sam cuts to the chase, saying he only came to grab his tapes and then he will leave. Fanny asks him to stick around, have a drink, mingle, and meet new people. But Sam feels reluctant to stay. Fanny introduces Mathieu to Sam. Mathieu tells Fanny that his friends Damien and Zoé just got here and want to meet her. Fanny asks Sam to wait, promising she’ll be right back, before disappearing into the crowd with Mathieu.

Sam waits for a long time, noticing Fanny still walking around the crowd, greeting people. His patience reaches its limit. He pulls her out of the crowd and demands that she either give his tapes back or tell him where they are. Mathieu, thinking Sam is hurting Fanny, pushes him away. Upset, Sam decides to leave. Fanny runs after him to stop him and tells him that his tapes are in the office. She asks him to wait for her there so they can talk. Sam finds his tapes in a cardboard box. However, when he grabs the box, his nose begins to bleed. He leans back in an armchair and falls asleep.

The next morning, Sam wakes up, grabs his box of tapes, and exits the room. He’s shocked to find the apartment deserted, trashed, with blood splatter on the walls and furniture destroyed. He cautiously walks down the hallway towards the open front door, where he finds Fanny sitting on the stairway. He calls her name, but to his horror, realizes she has become a zombie. She quickly stands up and lunges at him. Sam slams the door shut and locks himself inside the apartment.

Through the window, Sam witnesses several abandoned cars, a zombie running on the street below him, and another zombie attacking another family in the building across him. A man, a woman, and a child escape the building, attempting to flee in their car. Sam yells to warn them that it’s safer inside the building, but it’s too late. They are quickly swarmed and killed by a horde of zombies who were drawn in by the honking of their car. Later, Sam is able to get to the rooftop of the building and realizes the zombies may have spread over all of Paris.

LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE is a film directed by French filmmaker Dominique Rocher in his directorial debut, based on the 2012 novel of the same name written by Martin Page, under the pseudonym Pit Agarman. The screenplay was adapted by Jérémie Guez, Guillaume Lemans, and Dominique Rocher.

French films tend to have a slower pace, and LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE defies typical zombie film conventions. While the fast-paced zombies aren’t groundbreaking like in 28 DAYS LATER, this film also stands apart from other blockbuster zombie films in its unique approach.

LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE focuses less on action and gore, but instead delves into the psychological turmoil of a man named Sam, stranded alone in a zombie-infested Paris. Instead of wielding weapons, his battles are internal, grappling with grief, loneliness, and the crumbling remnants of his sanity. The film doesn’t portray Sam as a superhuman survivor. His decisions are often flawed, reflecting the desperation and emotional instability.

In the middle of the film, after Sam has been living inside the building alone for some time, he attempts to lure a cat inside because he is desperately seeking interaction, which is understandable. However, the cat turns away and disappears behind an abandoned car. Driven by his desperation, Sam becomes reckless by leaving the building to catch the cat, and is almost bitten by zombies. This scene adds psychological depth to the character, making us wonder if we would do something similar after being isolated for a long time and gradually losing hope of finding normal human connection.

This film isn’t just about zombies, it’s a profound exploration of loneliness and the human need for connection. Sam’s struggle for survival is not just physical, but also emotional and psychological. The film leaves a lasting impression, prompting viewers to ponder what they would do in such a nightmarish scenario, and the true cost of being the sole survivor. The final 30 minutes are a powerful and unforgettable experience, an emotionally charged journey that elevates this film to one of my all-time favorite zombie films.

This film exists in two versions: LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE and THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD. Unlike typical international releases, the English version isn’t a dub. Instead, the filmmaker cleverly shot both versions simultaneously, with actors delivering their dialogue in both French and English. This technique works best in films with limited dialogue, like this one. Although I personally prefer the French version, as it feels more realistic that French people in Paris would speak French.

LA NUIT A DÉVORÉ LE MONDE premiered at Festival Premiers Plans d’Angers on 13 January 2018. The film was theatrically released in France on 7 March, by Haut et Court.