1990s. AIDS has been taking lives for nearly a decade and activists at Act Up Paris are stepping up their efforts to fight against general indifference, speaking out against the government's hypocrisy and raising awareness. New to the group, Nathan goes behind the scenes of this association, which is bringing together very different kinds of people, including Thibault and Sophie – the leaders of the movement in France. He quickly falls under the spell of Sean, a young man who is HIV-positive.

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This movie goes straight to the heart, with a mad energy and passion. 120 Beats Per Minute, the third movie by Robin Campillo (Les Revenants and Eastern Boys) looks at Act Up Paris in the 1990s, at a time when doing anything against the AIDS epidemic was still very taboo. It is the story of a struggle, a crisis and a scandal amid lives, love and laughter. The performances of Arnaud Valois, Nahuel Perez Biscayart, Antoine Reinartz and the double Caesar winner Adèle Haenel are incredible and energetic. The movie presents their personal and political struggles with intense sincerity, as they balance their lives between the struggle in the streets and release on the dance floor. The last scene, which combines drama, combat and pleasure, is a superb look at cinema and people. Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes; it could have just as easily won the Golden Palm.