Père

The second film by Belouad whose L’attente des femmes was previously seen in Rotterdam. Belouad plays an intelligent game with with fantasy and reality. Père is tightly directed and provides a convincing picture of the terrifying situation in Algeria and the hopeless position of young North Africans in Europe. Père is set in the 1990s in Bejaia and Marseilles. Driven by uncertain circumstances in Algeria, the young Mahmoud decides to go to France to look for his father, whom he doesn’t know. His family tries to talk him out of embarking on his journey, but he is determined. With the aid of his uncle Azzedine, he gets hold of a false passport with a visa for Europe, which is impossible for him to obtain legally. But the transfer is less propitious than foreseen and the supplier is murdered in the hotel room where they had agreed to meet. When he arrives in Marseilles, Mahmoud looks for his contact Rabah, who had promised to take him to his father. Mahmoud is distracted from his quest by a mysterious barmaid who takes him home with her. When she takes an overdose, Mahmoud leaves. Fortunately he finds Rabah again, who tells him that his father is in hospital. When he reaches the sickbed, his father has already died. The young man collapses and when night comes, he starts a delirious conversation with the ghost of his father. Père will not be screened from the 35mm print, but from Betacam.