Alice Diop is a French filmmaker of Senegalese descent. After studying colonial history, sociology, and film in Paris, she became an activist, championing gender and racial equality in film and the political mobilisation of young people from working-class neighbourhoods. With Vers la tendresse, she delves into the male territory of a Parisian suburb.

By following four young men, we discover a universe in which female bodies are no more than shadowy and virtual silhouettes. They stage and perform their masculinity in everyday places. A voice-over reveals unexpected parts of their stories and personalities. Vers la tendresse won the César Award for best short film.