Farid, a man of Algerian origin in his mid-twenties, is looking forward to
a successful career as a lawyer in France. He is about to set up home
with his girlfriend Audrey when he receives the shock news that his father
has recently fallen ill and now looks set to lose the family home in Algeria.
Without a moment's hesitation, Farid hastens back to the Algerian village
where he was born and devotes himself to preventing the planned demolition
of his father's beloved house. As he does so, he comes into contact
with a colourful collection of individuals in the village and is struck by
their simplicity and friendliness.
Farid has never known such a sense of community spirit whilst living in France.
This provides the young man not only with an opportunity to get to know his
relatives a bit better, but also to make sense of his own identity, which
has so far been something of a mystery to him. He is particularly struck
by a cousin of his, who appears desperately keen to leave the village and
start a new life in France. One day, Farid wakes up and finds that
his ambitious cousin has disappeared, along with the identification papers
the former needs to get back into France. Now Farid finds himself trapped
in an unfamiliar country which has its own codes and customs. Adapting
to his new life proves to be much harder than he imagined...
Cast: Tewfik Jallab (Farid Hadji),
Jamel Debbouze (Le cousin), Fatsah Bouyahmed (Fatah),
Abdelkader Secteur (Secteur),
Malik Bentalha (Kikim),
Fehd Benchemsi (Nordine),
Mourad Zaoui (Moustapha), Miloud Khetib (Hame Brahim),
Mohamed Majd (Hadj),
Julie De Bona (Audrey),
Zineb Obeid (Samira),
Mélèze Bouzid
Country: Algeria / France
Language: French / Arabic
Support: Color
Runtime: 87 min
The history of French cinema
From its birth in 1895, cinema has been an essential part of French culture. Now it is one of the most dynamic, versatile and important of the arts in France.
American film comedy had its heyday in the 1920s and '30s, but it remains an important genre and has given American cinema some of its enduring classics.
In the 1910s, French cinema led the way with a new industry which actively encouraged innovation. From the serials of Louis Feuillade to the first auteur pieces of Abel Gance, this decade is rich in cinematic marvels.
The cinema of Japan is noteworthy for its purity, subtlety and visual impact. The films of Ozu, Mizoguchi and Kurosawa are sublime masterpieces of film poetry.