What Is The Sixth Child About?
The premise of The Sixth Child in 277 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the hard-edged streets of Aubervilliers, Franck and Meriem live with their five children in a caravan, their Roma family held together by affection, faith, and a daily struggle to make ends meet. Franck works as a scrap dealer, earning enough only when the trade is unpredictable, while Meriem cares for the household and their growing brood. Now two months pregnant, she faces another mouth to feed and another burden on a family already stretched thin. Their religious convictions leave abortion outside the question, making the prospect of a sixth child both deeply wanted and financially daunting.
Across the city, Julien and Anna occupy a very different world as practicing lawyers with no children of their own. Their professional lives suggest order and control, but their inability to conceive creates a private kind of uncertainty, a silence at the center of their relationship. Meeting the larger-than-life reality of Franck and Meriem’s family exposes how differently people can respond to want, lack, and responsibility. The encounter opens a door between lives that initially seem worlds apart.
The arrangement at the heart of the story is both practical and profoundly personal. Franck and Meriem believe Julien and Anna could offer their children a loving and secure home; in return, the lawyers could help ease the family’s financial pressure and make room for the new arrival. What seems like a simple exchange quickly becomes a test of what parents can bear, what childless couples are willing to risk, and how far love and necessity can reshape a household. With its humane social-drama tone, the film balances tenderness with uncomfortable questions about desire, sacrifice, and the meanings we attach to family.
What Happens in The Sixth Child?
The complete story of The Sixth Child, from the first scene to the last, in 174 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Living in a caravan in Aubervilliers, a Roma couple consisting of Franck and Meriem struggle to support their five children. Franck works as a scrap dealer, but his financial situation is precarious. After unwittingly helping to resell stolen scrap metal and getting involved in a road accident, he loses his work van and faces the threat of imprisonment.
During the legal proceedings, he is defended by Julien, a lawyer who manages to secure a suspended sentence for him. Because Julien’s license is revoked, his partner, Anna—also a lawyer—drives Franck home, where they witness the family’s difficult living conditions and large household.
Facing a new crisis, Franck visits Julien’s office to reveal that Meriem is pregnant with their sixth child. Due to their religious convictions, abortion is not an option, yet they cannot afford another child or a new van to replace the one lost. Believing that Julien and Anna would be excellent parents, Franck proposes a deal: the couple could take the child in exchange for helping the family escape their dire financial circumstances.
The Sixth Child Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “A Roma Family in Aubervilliers” to “An Extraordinary Proposal”. 10 events name a place, across 3 locations.
- 1
A Roma Family in Aubervilliers
Franck and Meriem, a Roma couple, live with their five children in a caravan in Aubervilliers. The large family gets by in very precarious living conditions, all cramped together in their mobile home. Their daily life is far from easy, but they manage to stay together.
Where:Aubervilliers
- 2
Franck Struggles to Make Ends Meet
Franck works as a scrap dealer, but the job barely generates enough income to support a family of seven. Every day is a struggle to provide for his wife and five children. The family's financial situation remains fragile and unstable.
Where:Aubervilliers
- 3
Anna and Julien's Unfulfilled Dream
Anna and Julien, both lawyers, form a stable couple with successful careers. Despite their comfortable life, they are unable to have children. Their quiet home stands in stark contrast to the bustling caravan of Franck's family.
- 4
A Night with Stolen Scrap Metal
One night, Franck unwittingly helps resell stolen scrap metal. Unaware that the goods are illegal, he becomes entangled in criminal activity without realizing it. This single night will soon turn his life upside down.
When:One night
- 5
The Road Accident
Following a road accident, Franck loses his work van, his essential tool for earning a living. Without the van, collecting and transporting scrap metal becomes impossible. The loss pushes the family even deeper into financial hardship.
- 6
Accused of Theft
Franck finds himself accused of theft because of his involvement with the stolen scrap metal. He now risks a prison sentence, a devastating prospect for a father of five. Both his freedom and his family's survival hang in the balance.
- 7
Julien Defends Franck in Court
Julien takes on Franck's case and represents him as his lawyer in court. Thanks to his legal expertise, he successfully defends the scrap dealer. Franck manages to avoid prison thanks to Julien's defense.
Where:Court
- 8
A Suspended Sentence
The court grants Franck a suspended sentence, allowing him to escape jail time. The verdict is a huge relief for the father of five, who can finally return to his family. The outcome also marks the beginning of an unexpected bond between Franck and his lawyer.
Where:Court
- 9
Julien Loses His License
Around the time of the trial, Julien has his driving license revoked. Unable to drive himself home from the court, he needs someone to come get him. His wife Anna therefore arrives at the court to pick him up.
Where:Court
- 10
Anna Drives Franck Home
After the hearing, Anna ends up driving Franck home from the court. The ride takes the lawyer into a world she has never experienced firsthand. What begins as a simple favor turns into a life-changing encounter.
Show the other 5 events of The Sixth Child Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Discovering the Precarious Household
Anna and Julien discover Franck's large family and their precarious living situation. They see with their own eyes how the seven family members survive in their cramped caravan. The childless couple is deeply confronted with a very different vision of family life.
Where:Aubervilliers
- 12
Franck Visits Julien's Office
Shortly after the trial, Franck visits Julien at his office. He comes to speak with the lawyer about a deeply personal and delicate matter. The meeting marks the start of an unusual negotiation between the two families.
Where:Julien's office
- 13
Meriem Is Pregnant
Franck reveals to Julien that Meriem is two months pregnant with what would be their sixth child. What would normally be joyful news is instead a source of anguish for the struggling family. Another mouth to feed is something they simply cannot manage.
Where:Julien's office
- 14
Faith Forbids Abortion
Franck explains that he and Meriem cannot consider ending the pregnancy, as their religious convictions forbid abortion. At the same time, the family genuinely cannot afford to welcome a sixth child. The couple finds themselves trapped between their beliefs and their poverty.
Where:Julien's office
- 15
An Extraordinary Proposal
Franck has debts to repay and urgently needs to buy a new van to keep working. He and Meriem believe that Julien and Anna would make good parents for their unborn child. In exchange, the lawyers could help the family out of their difficult financial circumstances, sealing a remarkable agreement between the two couples.
Where:Julien's office
What Kind of Film Is The Sixth Child?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
A bittersweet social dramedy balancing comic awkwardness with the uneasy urgency of poverty, infertility, and an unconventional plan to secure a newborn's future.
- bittersweet
- uneasy
- socially observant
- warm
- darkly humorous
- compassionate
- economic hardship
- infertility
- arranged adoption
- surrogacy
Content notes: child poverty, infertility, pregnancy and childbirth, infant relinquishment, religious pressure against abortion, legal trouble.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Sixth Child? Test yourself on the story.
