Meriem Serbah Movies
- 2006
When Algerian native deported from France travels back to the village in which he was raised, the change that has swept the land connects him to a married woman whose desire to sing American jazz has found her ostracized by both family and community. Kamel (Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche) has been released from prison, and now it seems as if his only option is to return to Algeria. His cousin Bouzid (Abel Jafri) beaten to near death by a group of local teens who impose their belief on the frightened villagers, Kamel joins a small militia determined to put the violent thugs in their place. Later, when aspiring jazz chanteuse Louisa (Meriem Serbah) is shunned by her husband, who kidnaps the couple's son in fears that the boy will be exposed to her corruptive western values, Kamel and the abandoned young woman become bonded by their mutual outsider status. Their relationship is complicated, however, when Kamel sets out to confront the tyrannical teens and Louisa embarks on a frantic journey to re-connect with her missing son. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche, Meriem Serbah, (more)
A young tough develops a taste for the classics when he falls for a girl who wants to be an actor in this drama from France. Krimo (Osman Elkharraz) is a streetwise teenager who doesn't have much to say to either his mother (Meriem Serbah) or his girlfriend, Magali (Aurelie Ganito), and plays tough guy with his friends. But Krimo has a creative side he doesn't share with everyone which he inherited from his father, and one day, after Magali has given him his walking papers, Krimo sees a pretty girl named Lydia (Sara Forestier) who is arguing with a shopkeeper over the price of a dress. Krimo impulsively lends Lydia the money to pay for it, and learns that she's going to wear it in a school play, a classic drama by the 18th century author Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux. Intrigued, Krimo tags along to Lydia's rehearsal, and finds himself becoming increasingly fascinated with both the girl and the play. Lydia proves to be something of a taskmaster to work with, and when the show's leading man makes noises about dropping out, Krimo takes his place. However, not everyone is convinced Krimo has what it takes to pull off the role, including Lydia's best friend, Frida (Sabrina Ouazani). A box-office success in France, L'esquive (shown in North America as Games of Love and Chance) was a multiple-award winner at the 2005 Cesar Awards, the Gallic Academy Awards. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Osman Elkharraz, Sara Forestier, (more)
Adapted from a work by Paul Bowles and co-written by Andre Techine, this film -- directed by Benoit Graffin) -- is about the complicated relationship between a young up-and-comer and a silver-haired lothario. Driss is a jack-of-all trades type who sells fish from his car and moves furniture from one end of his hometown Tangiers to the other. His girlfriend is a free-spirited and wealthy European lass who runs an antique shop. One day, Driss becomes fascinated with Fouad, an old man who runs a rundown café by the beach. Fouad disdains his fellow Moroccans, calling them lazy, preferring the company of Europeans -- particularly, as Driss later learns -- young European women. Always on the make, Driss offers Fouad a business proposition -- to revamp his establishment and turn it into a proper restaurant with Driss as his business partner. He is later shocked and hurt to learn that Fouad starts to remodel his business but without Driss. Sending out his friends as spies, Driss learns a number of unsettling things about his would-be associate. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jacques Nolot, Ouassini Embarek, (more)
