Country
France
Synopsis
At the port of Sète, Mr. Slimani, a tired 60-year-old, drags himself toward a shipyard job that has become more and more difficult to cope with as the years go by. He is a divorced father who forces himself to stay close to his family despite the schisms and tensions that are easily sparked off and that financial difficulties make even more intense. He is going through a delicate period in his life and, recently, everything seems to make him feel useless: a failure. He wants to escape from it all and set up his own restaurant. However, it appears to be an unreachable dream given his meagre, irregular salary that is not anywhere near enough to supply what he needs to realize his ambition. But he can still dream and talk about it with his family in particular. A family that gradually gives its support to this project, which comes to symbolize the means to a better life. Thanks to its ingeniousness and hard work, this dream soon becomes a reality…or almost…. Written by Venice Film Festival
Trailer
Reviews
‘The Secret of the Grain is a touching and resoundingly humanistic story…’
‘A complex portrait of an immigrant family, The Secret of the Grain is a sprawling, intimate film with many fine performances.’
‘In ‘The Secret of the Grain’, Mr Kechiche immerses us in the hectic, tender, sometimes painful details of work and domesticity.’
‘Rather than focusing on the usual clichés — racism, violence in the projects, etc…, the film shows us people who love their country and want to make their mark without denying their origins.’
Awards and Nominations
César Award, 2008:
- Best French Film
- Best Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
- Best Original Screenplay: Abdellatif Kechiche
- Most Promising Actress: Hafsia Herzi
Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, 2007
Best Director (Eurasia Film Festival): Abdellatif Kechiche
Venice Film Festival, 2007:
- Special Jury Prize (ex-æquo / tie, with I’m Not There)
- Marcello Mastroianni Prize (for actor or actress in a début role): Hafsia Herzi
- SIGNIS Award – Honorable Mention: Abdellatif Kechiche
- Nominated: Golden Lion
Louis Delluc Prize, 2007
