The Secret of the Grain / 2007 / French

Directed by: Abdellatif Kechiche;
FiC Rating: 4.5/5

Couscous: Culture and Disillusionment

1. The Secret of the Grain is a stirring piece of drama which drains you. Because the director, Abdellatif Kechiche, here tests the power of cinema to capture raw human emotion and makes use of hyper-realistic compositional style effectively.
2. Set in the French coastal-commune of Sete, it tells a story of French-Arab immigrant family through the perspective of its quiet, yet desperate patriarch, Slimane, who tries to establish a couscous restaurant to support the family needs as well as get in touch with the roots of his culture.
3. An empathetic account of the cultural complexities, family dynamics and social expectations of immigrant families shows how food plays an important role in their lives. The film also boasts of stunning performances by the ensemble cast. (Do lookout for the Cannes jury prize-winner, Hafsia Herzi!)

To know more about film:

1. Wiki
2. IMdB
3. Criterion
4. Director Interview
5. Essay by Wesley Morris

Also, don’t miss out on some of the other great Drama recommendations here!