13 Hours, 13 Days

13 Hours, 13 Days
French theatrical release poster
French	13 jours, 13 nuits
Directed by	Martin Bourboulon
Written by	Martin Bourboulon Alexandre Smia Trân-Minh Nam
Based on	13 jours, 13 nuits dans l’enfer de Kaboul by Mohamed Bida
Produced by	Dimitri Rassam Ardavan Safaee Bastien Sirodot
Starring	Roschdy Zem Lyna Khoudri Sidse Babett Knudsen Christophe Montenez
Cinematography	Nicolas Bolduc
Edited by	Stan Collet
Music by	Guillaume Roussel
Production companies	Chapter 2 Productions Logical Content Ventures Pathé M6 Films Umedia Canal+ Cinémage 19
Distributed by	Pathé
Release dates	23 May 2025 (2025-05-23) (Cannes) 27 June 2025 (2025-06-27) (France)
Running time	112 minutes
Countries	France Belgium
Languages	French English
Budget	€30 million
Box office	$2.39 million

13 Days, 13 Nights (French: 13 Jours, 13 Nuits) is a 2025 political thriller film directed by Martin Bourboulon, co-written by Bourboulon and Alexandre Smia and based on Mohamed Bida's novel of same name. It stars Roschdy Zem as Bida, alongside Lyna Khoudri and Sidse Babett Knudsen, and follows the 2021 evacuation of the French Embassy in Kabul during the Taliban takeover.

The film had its world premiere out of competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, on 23 May 2025. It was theatrically released in France on 27 June 2025, by Pathé. It received mixed critical reception and under-performed at the French box office despite its €30 million budget.

Plot

On 15 August 2021, as U.S. forces withdraw from Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents seize Kabul. Amid the chaos, French commander Mohamed Bida (Roschdy Zem) negotiates with the Taliban to secure safe passage for 2,800 refugees trapped in the French Embassy. With the help of Eva (Lyna Khoudri), a Franco-Afghan aid worker, he orchestrates a 13-day race to evacuate them via the airport before the Taliban close in.

Cast

• Roschdy Zem as Commandant Mohamed Bida

• Lyna Khoudri as Eva, a humanitarian worker

• Sidse Babett Knudsen as Kate, a French diplomat

• Christophe Montenez as Martin, a DGSE officer

• Sina Parvaneh as Sediqi, an Afghan interpreter

• Yan Tual as JC, a French Special Forces operative

• Fatima Adoum as Amina, a refugee

Production

Development

Bourboulon discovered Bida's novel while editing The Three Musketeers: Milady (2023). He was drawn to the "meticulous" details of the operation and its emotional stakes. The project marked Bourboulon's shift from period films to contemporary drama.

Filming

Principal photography took place in Morocco, with additional scenes shot in France. Stunt sequences involved local performers and military advisors to recreate the Kabul chaos.

Release

Box office

The film opened in 526 French theaters but averaged only 206 spectators per screen, grossing $2.39 million worldwide against its €30 million budget. By July 2025, it had accrued 311,320 admissions in France.

Critics

13 Hours, 13 Day received generally positive reviews from critics, who highlighted its commitment to historical accuracy and the compelling performance of Roschdy Zem. Several reviewers, however, noted issues with the film's pacing, suggesting that the narrative momentum occasionally lagged.

RTS (Switzerland) described the film as "a tense yet uneven tribute to unsung heroes," praising its depiction of the evacuation from Kabul but pointing out moments where the storytelling lost focus.

Other critics commended the film’s attention to detail in recreating real-life events and credited Zem’s portrayal for bringing emotional depth to the story.

Some reviewers felt that, despite its strengths, the film’s pacing and structure detracted from its overall impact.

Overall, the film was recognized for shedding light on a significant historical event and for strong performances, even as it drew mixed reactions regarding its narrative flow.

External links

• 13 Jours, 13 Nuits at IMDb

• 13 Jours, 13 Nuits at Allocine

• Official site at Pathé