Yamakasi (film) - Plot

Plot

The Yamakasi are seven young sport nuts of obviously different ethnic backgrounds who are all dedicated to parkour. They live in France in a banlieue, a ghetto especially designed for paupers and traditionally inhabited by immigrants from former French colonies. The motley group uses their sport to enjoy themselves without drugs and to gain recognition in peaceful way. While they consider themselves good examples for youths in the banlieue, the local chief of police feels otherwise. From his point of view they are dangerous because children could hurt themselves by trying to emulate them. When the Yamakasi are again reported for buildering, he assigns his men to arrest them. On this occasion each single member is introduced to the spectators of the film too:

Following this meeting two pupils enjoy themselves by climbing in a tree. A harmless fun if it wasn't for a third little boy who suffers with an inborn cardiovascular disease. When he tries to join them he has a cardiac arrest. In hospital his mother learns an immediate heart transplantation is imperative. The chief physician suggests to save the child by buying a heart from a shady broker. He stresses that this is the only solution but not supported by their health insurance. He demands from the boy's family to pay 400.000 Francs within 24 hours.

The head physician advises the family to ask their friends for support. This includes the Yamakasi who go and talk to the head physician himself and ask why a child is supposed to die only because his parents are poor. They insist he would contact the hospital's board of directors. When he refuses to phone either of them they nick the list of names and decide to walk in the footsteps of Robin Hood. They become cat burglars and tackle without violence threats such as guard dogs, armed security guards, inhabitants and even eager policemen in the very house. Thus they collect the price for the boy's life.