It had been a while since I saw a good film. Watching "Inch'Allah dimanche" has ben refreshing. I am writing this comment while I listen to the closing music the fourth time, left with a taste of cinema and a feeling of sweet sadness. Man looks for a peaceful dwelling on the earth. Homesickness is a characteristic of human existence. We belong to where we feel at home.
I must admit that there seems to be flaws in story and some problems with character development. However this originates from the nature of narrative style the director Yamina Benguigui prefers. You must have heard the literary writing style called "flow or stream of consciousness" to which James Joyce's "Ulysess" shown as an example. In the same manner, the film tells the story as a "flow of memories", most probably from a child's point of view. Reading an interview with Yamina Benguigui, I learn that the texture of the work is personal.
Childhood memories are sometimes clear and sometimes obscure. And a child's perception of the events is mainly based on images. So this explains the power and emotional impact of some scenes in the film: for ex. Zouida's breaking the window with bare hand. Or think of the old French couple's garden. They compete for the best garden award. On the other hand, the Algerian family's garden is caotic. And the garden is not their own yet, the children can not play there as they wish. Around the symbolism of garden, we get a from-inside look at the emigrant psychology in its naive form through a child's eye.
Anyway I don't want to go much into details. I recommend the film, hire it and make your own reading. It is worth to see. Acting is good, the music touchs. What else?! Congragulations to Yamina.
