You have probably already seen it, even if you did not realise it at the time. A boy in a school uniform, standing still while everything around him moves in perfect, unsettling rhythm. That is “Storm”, the latest short film by Romain Gavras, created with Yung Lean and Gener8ion. It is one of those rare pieces that does not just get watched once. It pulls you back in.
A collaboration that clicks
Gavras and Surkin know exactly how to build a world together, and here they sharpen that chemistry. Bringing in Yung Lean adds something extra, a presence that feels both detached and magnetic at the same time. The music, split into “Storm 1” and “Storm 2”, drives everything forward. It is loud, chant-heavy and relentless, the kind of sound that does not sit quietly in the background but takes control of the entire experience.
School, but not as you remember it
The setting is a grey, almost lifeless school in a near-future Leeds. No teachers, no structure, just groups of boys left to their own devices. It feels familiar at first glance, then quickly becomes something else entirely. This is not nostalgia. It is a heightened, almost feral version of adolescence. There is chaos, tension and that strange energy that comes from being young and not quite knowing what to do with it.
The scene everyone is sharing
At the centre of it all is the sequence that has taken over Instagram. A choreographed class moment, with Yung Lean standing still while everything else moves around him in perfect sync. It is simple, precise and strangely hypnotic. You watch it once, then again, trying to catch every detail. It is no surprise it has gathered millions of views across platforms, while the full version continues to build momentum on YouTube.
Movement that feels electric
The choreography by Damien Jalet is what elevates the film from striking to unforgettable. It taps into something instantly recognisable, the group dynamics of school life, the chanting, the physicality, the pressure to belong. At times it feels energising. At others, slightly threatening. That balance is what gives the film its edge.
A different kind of teenage world
Where recent portrayals of youth, such as Euphoria, lean into polished visuals and stylised emotion, “Storm” goes in the opposite direction. It is raw, controlled and deliberately uncomfortable. Gavras has explored similar territory before, from large-scale unrest in No Church in the Wild to visually ambitious music films. Here, everything feels tighter, more focused and more immediate.
“Storm” works because it does not try to explain itself too much. It creates a feeling and lets it sit with you. It is intense without being overwhelming, precise without feeling cold. Most of all, it is memorable. Not just for a moment, but in a way that makes you want to return to it.
