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“It takes will, courage and determination to realise a dream. But most of all it takes family.”
Original Title
La Graine Et Le Mulet
Synopsis
In the city of Sète, on the harbour, Slimane (Habib Boufares), a weary sixty years old, is still grinding it out at the shipyard, in a job that has become more painful as the years have worn on. A divorced head of family, he desperately tries to remain close to his loved-ones, a task made the more difficult because of family break-ups and seething tensions which seem to be about to erupt, and which financial difficulties only exacerbate. In this delicate part of his life, it seems like everything contributes to his feeling of uselessness. He has carried the weight of what he sees as his failure for a long time and his only thought is to overcome it by founding his own business, a restaurant. The main dish will be couscous with fish, which is a staple in the Maghreb, and which the characters partake of every Sunday when they meet up for an extended family meal.
But it isn''t going to be easy. His income is insufficient and irregular, and falls far short of what he''ll need to realize his ambition. That doesn''t keep him from dreaming about it, talking about it, mostly to his family. That family is, little by little, drawn together around the plan, which has for one and all taken on the symbolic value of a quest for a better life. Thanks to their can-do attitude and all their hard work, the dream will come true...or will it?
This warm, remarkable film premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice International Film Festival (2007), and since then has won numerous awards, including Cesar Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Film, Best Original Writing, Most Promising Actress, and Best Editing.
