Couscous

Over the past decade, across three award-winning films, Abdellatif Kechiche has become the toast of French cinema. Through a unique capacity to recount tales of human struggle in the face of a challenging society with pulsating style and narrative structure, this immeasurably important filmmaker has proved to critics and audiences alike that popular cinema can transcend constraints of genre and action; his cinema is all about story and character. Having more than established himself in France with 'Faute à Voltaire' and the masterful 'L’Esquive', Kechiche’s third feature Couscous finally brought him wider recognition on a global scale.

The unassuming story follows the intimate circle of Slimane (Habib Boufares), a dockworker recently made redundant. He decides to renovate an unused boat with the intention of transforming it into a couscous restaurant. The journey takes him through the complex and prejudiced corridors of French bureaucracy and introduces us to a myriad of vibrant characters from his ex-wife, children, in-laws and grandkids to his current partner and her daughter (Hafsia Herzi). A careful attention to detail and the space for characters to develop fully, provide the viewer with a rarely matched sense of intimacy with the events unfolding on screen. The standout scene is arguably a Sunday dinner, which is filmed with a verve and energy that engrosses more than the best chase, fight or action set-piece ever could.

Language is action for Kechiche and his ability to evoke the melodies, tones, rhythms and slang of the street is unparalleled. Sitting through this film is quite an experience, drawing you into the world and worries of these characters with a unique sense of authenticity and spontaneity. Unlike most films that deal with ethnic minorities, Kechiche never makes his film all about the subject-matter, bashing us over the head with social messages or making cultural difference the story itself, as so often happens with British cinema ('My Beautiful Laundrette', 'Just a Kiss' etc). Rather he creates characters and stories with universal needs, motivations and hopes, tapping into the human experience in a seamless manner. Difference isn’t the important thing, people are.

The filmmaker is aided in this project by blistering performances from a relatively unknown cast. In particular, the two leads standout, with Boufares’ silent stoicism juxtaposed by Herzi’s boundless energy. The latter’s performance is one of the most breath-taking you will ever see. Following the brilliant Sara Forestier and Sabrina Ouazani (who also has a small role here) in 'L’Esquive', Kechiche shows once more an inimitable knack for creating astounding roles for young women. Herzi lights up every scene, displaying vulnerability and strength with a brutal honesty. She scooped merited prizes at the Venice Film Festival and the Césars as did the film itself – Grand Jury Prize in Venice as well as Césars for Best Film, Director and Screenplay. Add to this the prestigious Louis Delluc award for Best French Film of the year, the cinematic estimation of which is seldom off the mark, and you have a film which has achieved the rare feat of bringing critics, audiences and the industry together in unanimous acclaim.

Cinémoi is extremely proud to present the UK network premiere of this enthralling and powerful work from one of the most talented and significant filmmakers in the world today. A film not to be missed!