Les Combattants de l’ordre

Lieutenant Masson has three weeks in which to turn students from a police college into anti-riot police worthy of their name. Alternating theory and practical lessons, his mission is to teach fifty trainees, chosen from the French police corps d’élite, the art of combat and of maintaining law and order. Under his strict military-style command, the future riot police have to get used to handling shields and truncheons, giving and receiving blows. They learn to resist teargas, frighten people, keep up a team spirit and, above all, obey orders. Finally, before being entitled to pin on the shoulder stripes which proudly testify to their function, they have to push back stooge demonstrators, whose roles are played by auxiliary policemen…’ (Stéphane Krausz, Michel Démétriadès)