THE GRAND ILLUSION
Genre
Drama
Running time
105 minutes
Year
1937
Language
French
Country
France
Director
Jean Renoir
Bio
Producer
Cast
Jean Gabin, Erich Von Stroheim, Pierre Fresnay, Marcel Dalio
Scriptwriter
Jean Renoir, Charles Spaak
Orson Welles described Jean Renoir's 1937 humanist masterpiece as one of two films he would have with him "on the Ark"; he didn't name the other one. Set during World War I, it follows two French airmen – Boeldieu, an aristocratic officer, and Marechal, a working-class mechanic – as they are taken prisoner by German flying ace Rittmeister von Rauffenstein, who soon finds he and Boeldieu have Parisian friends in common. Their bond shows the extent to which class divides and the folly of this fight. The two Frenchmen are then moved from one prison camp to the next, joining forces with Rosenthal – the scion of a French-Jewish banking family – in a grand escape plan. Renoir's great film critiques romantic ideas of duty and patriotism that sustain wars and condemns the doctrine of hate about to tear Europe apart again.
Other movies
IRKALLA: GILGAMESH'S DREAM
Director: Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji
Nine-year-old dreamer Chum-Chum and Moody, a tough 13-year-old, navigate the harsh streets of Baghdad. Moody is obsessed with escaping to the Netherlands with Chum-Chum and his sister, Sara. Things changes when they meet Maryam, a fiery woman who has converted an old double-decker bus into a mobile school for street kids. After Maryam shows Chum-Chum an animation about the mythical hero Gilgamesh’s journey to the underworld, a new obsession takes hold. But Chum-Chum’s dream collides with a dark secret: Moody’s alliance with a ruthless militia leader and his plot to bomb protestors. Chum-Chum must now confront a brutal reality. Can one child's mythical quest save his friend, or will Moody’s dark path consume them both?
THE FINALE
Director: Rodolphe Chedid
In a secluded Lebanese village, Amal and Naeem, married for 50 years, find their peaceful life marked by the absence of their children, who left during the war more than three decades ago. Feeling a profound void, Amal seeks to rekindle their connection and rediscover meaning by asking Naeem to write their life story. He reluctantly agrees, and they embark on an intimate journey through forgotten memories and unspoken truths. As they revisit their past, they confront the love they’ve built and the questions that have shaped their lives. Filmed with a unique and original cinematic language, this love story is a powerful testament to how film can beautifully convey emotions, memories and the intimate details that make life extraordinary.
ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU
Director: Cherien Dabis
This compelling family drama traces three generations of Palestinians from 1948-2022, revealing the profound impacts of the Nakba. The story begins in 1988 with Noor, a man who joins a protest that turns violent in the West Bank. Decades later his mother, Hanan, recounts her son’s story, starting with the 1948 expulsion of his grandfather from Jaffa. Amid the hardship, the family holds on to the hope of returning to their ancestral home. A love story between Hanan and her husband Salim serves as a beacon of light. Through intimate, moving performances, this film explores how trauma and heritage shape the bonds between a grandfather, a father and son, while filled with moments of joy, love and humor.