Justin the Just (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

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Set during World War I, Justin the Just follows an illiterate French peasant drawn into military service and sent to the front. As he encounters soldiers from different backgrounds, escapes captivity and challenges dangerous orders, Justin begins questioning the logic of a war he never understood.

Justin the Just is a French-language comedy, history and war film set during World War I. It follows Justin, an illiterate peasant farmer whose enlistment in the French army places him in a conflict he barely understands.

Directed and written by Eric Barbier, the film stars Alban Ivanov as Justin, alongside Alexandra Lamy, Birane Ba, Thierry Hancisse and Stéphane De Groodt. Its story centers on an ordinary soldier confronting the human cost and apparent absurdity of trench warfare.

Justin the Just movie details

Story without spoilers

Justin is a naïve, open-minded farmer from France who knows little about the wider world when he is enrolled in the army. Sent to the front, he struggles to understand why he is expected to kill people he has never met.

His experiences bring him into contact with a German pilot and a Senegalese soldier. After escaping a prisoner camp, Justin takes a more active stand by attempting to organize a mutiny intended to keep his fellow soldiers from facing further danger. Along the way, he forms lasting friendships and becomes an unexpected source of inspiration.

What to expect

The supplied genre information points to a blend of comedy, history and war, set against the trenches and military world of the 1910s. The premise places an ordinary, inexperienced protagonist at the center of questions about obedience, combat and the senselessness of war.

The story also emphasizes encounters across national and cultural lines, including Justin’s meetings with a German pilot and a Senegalese soldier. Its tone is therefore positioned between wartime subject matter and the perspective of a character whose innocence challenges the logic of the conflict around him.

Cast and creative team

Alban Ivanov leads the cast as Justin. Alexandra Lamy plays Marie, Birane Ba plays Basile, Thierry Hancisse plays Joyard and Stéphane De Groodt plays Lapeyrade.

Eric Barbier is credited as both director and writer, giving the film a single identified creative lead behind its story and direction.

• Alban Ivanov as Justin
• Alexandra Lamy as Marie
• Birane Ba as Basile
• Thierry Hancisse as Joyard
• Stéphane De Groodt as Lapeyrade

Release and production context

Justin the Just is listed as a 2026 production from France and Belgium, with French as its spoken language. It is scheduled for release on September 23, 2026, and is listed with a Released status. No runtime is provided. The production companies are Vertigo Productions and SCOPE Pictures.

Production companies: Vertigo Productions, SCOPE Pictures

Justin the Just official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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Justin the Just presents World War I through the eyes of a farmer who enters the French army without understanding the conflict or its demands. Its combination of historical setting, wartime stakes and comic framing places Justin’s personal resistance at the center of the film’s appeal, while keeping the focus on friendship and moral questioning.

Film data:
TMDB