At the crossroads of disciplines – animation, dance, cinema – Pacific Club draws on 1980s archives and interviews with Azedine to tell the forgotten story of an iconic nightclub, nestled under the Arc de la Défense, on the edge of Paris and the city of Puteaux. The memories of the place recall the history of a generation, while also reflecting the dichotomy of social classes and the discrimination faced by young Arabs from the suburbs in an increasingly gentrified capital. Built to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution and the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Arc de la Défense represents a new kind of modernity. However, beneath its surface, another story unfolds: that of an abandoned community, seeking recognition. The symbolism of the monument contrasts with the starkness of the place, as nightclub patrons frequently face racism and daily institutional violence, which intensifies their marginalization. Yet, despite this hostile environment, the solidarity of the community shines through, marked by a sense of belonging, both to the nightclub and to each other. The nightclub, by opening its doors, becomes a refuge for an entire Arab community that faces discrimination and struggles to find its place in the bourgeois districts of the capital. In this urban geometry, where the asphalt and streets drawn in vanishing lines seem to converge towards the idea of freedom, the youth search for themselves and find each other in the euphoria of the night. However, this quest is also marked by the ravages of drugs and AIDS, which particularly affect racialized youth, abandoned by the French state.

Morgane Ferrero
Programmer, REGARD