Night Shift (2020 film)

Night Shift

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2020
Founder	Anne Fontaine (director), Claire Barré (screenwriter)
Headquarters	Paris , France, Belgium
Products	Drama film
Parent	F Comme Film, Ciné@, StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma, France 3 Cinéma, Korokoro, Scope Pictures

Night Shift () is a drama film from 2020, directed by Anne Fontaine, who also collaborated with Claire Barré on the screenplay. The story is adapted from the 2016 novel Police by Hugo Boris. This France-Belgium joint production features performances by Omar Sy, Virginie Efira, Grégory Gadebois, and Payman Maadi. It made its debut at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on 23 February 2020, followed by its release in both France and Belgium on 2 September 2020.

Premise

In Paris, three police officers are tasked with escorting an undocumented immigrant from Tajikistan who is subject to deportation. As they proceed, they grapple with a moral conflict upon learning that the detainee could face lethal consequences upon his return to his native country.

Production

The production of Night Shift was overseen by Jean-Louis Livi through F Comme Film and Philippe Carcassonne via Ciné@. The project was co-produced alongside StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma, France 3 Cinéma, Omar Sy's Korokoro, and Belgian company Scope Pictures.

Filming commenced on 4 February 2019 and spanned nine weeks, taking place primarily in Paris and the surrounding Île-de-France area. Due to prohibitions against shooting inside active police stations, interior sequences were filmed at a repurposed data center formerly operated by Orange S.A. located in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine.

Release

Night Shift was part of the Berlinale Special lineup during the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, with its premiere occurring on 23 February 2020.

Its initial theatrical release was planned for 1 April 2020 but was delayed because of cinema closures mandated by the French government amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The premiere date shifted several times—from 6 May to 3 June 2020—before finally opening on 2 September 2020. Distribution was handled by StudioCanal in France and Athena Films in Belgium.

Critical response

On the French platform AlloCiné, Night Shift has received an average score of 3.3 out of 5 stars based on 31 critiques. Meanwhile, on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 67% approval rating derived from six reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10.

Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter remarked that despite some flaws in the broader screenplay, the ensemble cast and shifting perspectives maintain audience engagement. In contrast, Jonathan Romney from Screen International characterized the film as a serious and emotionally intense narrative that suffers from certain storytelling weaknesses.