Une saison en France

In recent years France (like other ex-colonial nations) began to understand that the wave of illegal immigration from Africa and Asia swamping Europe is due in large part to Europe's misdeeds during and after the colonial era. The result was a more open attitude towards refugees. Of course, other motivations included public relations and the need to import foreigners to do the jobs natives avoid. A similar situation: the US vis-à-vis Latin American countries.

Enjoying the "season in France" are Abbas, an African immigrant, his half-brother Etienne and his pre-adolescent children Asma and Yacine. They have been admitted in France temporarily as refugees and must now face the big hurdle, the application for permanent residence. They have fled their country of origin barely with their lives, and face the usual lot of the penniless immigrant: substandard and exploitative living conditions and menial jobs with drastic diminution of status; both Abbas and Etienne were teachers in their home country. The whole is compounded by their dark skin, which unlocks racism lying just below the surface and results in blaming immigrants for every crime in the book including terrorism.

Sandrine Bonnaire plays Polish immigrant Carole, Abbas' love interest. Carole had the same experience years ago but now has citizenship papers. Bonnaire, in her fifties has the same luminous screen presence of her youth and plays an engaging character; Carole is supportive, cheerful and full of resources. What Carole does is very brave; she faces a monstrous French law that threatens five years in jail and a fine of 30.000 euros for "assisting an illegal immigrant." The rest of the actors do a flawless job.

Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun has assembled an excellent movie out of these elements. It is simple (in the positive sense of the word) and to the point. It has many scenes full of magic such as the celebration of Carole's birthday by the whole family. Not to be missed.