Papa où t’es? : Content creator Nicolas Trouvé's powerful documentary on foster care

The cinematic landscape welcomes a truly unique feature with the release of Papa où t’es ?, a powerful blend of documentary and road-movie. At the heart of this poignant project is Nicolas Trouvé, widely known as « Nicotine » on social media. With over a million followers on TikTok and nearly 800,000 on YouTube, the Avignon-based content creator is taking a major step by sharing his most intimate journey.

An intimate and universal quest

At 27, Nicolas has almost no memories of his early childhood. Separated from his mother at age three, he grew up across various foster homes and shelters within France's Child Welfare Services (ASE). Determined to break the silence, he retrieves his file and embarks on a quest to find the biological father he never knew. This deeply personal investigation leads him all the way to Senegal to uncover roots he knew nothing about.

Produced by Ascend — the production company behind Inoxtag's massive hit Kaizen: 1 Year to Climb Everest — the film takes a theatrical-first approach. To promote it, Nicolas and two fellow content creators even hitchhiked all the way from Dakar to Paris to deliver the film print to France on time.

Giving a voice to a strained system

Beyond its protagonist's personal story, the documentary directed by Basile Monnot and Samy Bouyssié sheds light on a rarely represented social reality. In France, hundreds of thousands of minors rely on welfare services annually, navigating a strained system facing severe shortages of foster placements.

Between raw emotion, resilience, and striking revelations, Papa où t’es ? stands out as a vital work that challenges traditional narratives and examines the lingering scars of childhood trauma. A moving cinematic experience not to be missed.