The Secret of the Grain (La graine et le mulet) (2007)

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Just as I thought French Culture was on the slide along comes this film to prove me wrong. France have found their Ken Loach with this socially charged slice of kitchen-sink.

French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche owes no apologies for the 150 minute running time. The interaction between the characters and the complexity of the relationships within the family unit make 'La Gra... read more

Event though I left France almost 10 years ago, I still try to watch a French movie once in a while especially the ones who have won the César (French Oscars) for the best movie. First of all, who’s this guy, Abdellatif Kechiche ? He came out of nowhere and won back to back twice the César for the best French film. This movie was his second win but, honestly, even though I liked it, I can’t ... read more

Description: At the port of Sète Mr. Slimani, a tired sixty year old, drags himself towards a shipyard job which has become more and more difficult to cope with as the years go by. He is a divorced father who forces himself to stay close to his family despite the scissions and tensions which are easily sparked off and which financial difficulties make even more intense. He is going through a delicate period in his life and recently, everything seems to make him feel useless; a failure. He wants to escape from it all and set up his own restaurant. However it appears to be an unreachable dream given his meagre, irregular salary which is not a At the port of Sète Mr. Slimani, a tired sixty year old, drags himself towards a shipyard job which has become more and more difficult to cope with as the years go by. He is a divorced father who forces himself to stay close to his family despite the scissions and tensions which are easily sparked off and which financial difficulties make even more intense. He is going through a delicate period in his life and recently, everything seems to make him feel useless; a failure. He wants to escape from it all and set up his own restaurant. However it appears to be an unreachable dream given his meagre, irregular salary which is not anywhere near enough to supply what he needs to realise his ambition. But he can still dream and talk about it with his family in particular. A family which gradually recompacts around this project which comes to symbolise the means to a better life. Thanks to their ingeniousness and hard work this dream soon becomes a reality... Or almost... ... (more) (less)