MADE IN FRANCE

France, 2015, 89 minutes, Colour.
Malik Zidi, Dimitri Storoge, François Civil, Nassim Si Ahmed, Ahmed Drame.
Directed by Nicolas Boukhrief.

Made in France is a topical and contemporary drama, not only for French audiences, especially in Paris, but worldwide with the increasing jihadist terrorism in European cities.

The film was made in 2014 but delayed in release because of the bombings and massacres in Paris in 2015.

The film is brief but intense, focusing on a young man, a journalist, with a wife and child, who infiltrates a group, living with them and sharing their plans for destruction in Paris. The audience is introduced to the other members of the group, especially Chris, wanting to be called Youssef, coming from a staunch Catholic family and rebelling against them. There is also an African. And there is a former prisoner who served his sentence with the leader of the group, Hassan.

Hassan comes back, allegedly, from training camps in Pakistan or Afghanistan, stating that he has orders from Al Qaeda, and that they are to infiltrate society, shaving their beards, seeming normal, drinking, ordinary jobs like his, selling shoes in a shop, and issues of sexuality and curiosity.

They prepare, they train, they execute a mission with destruction. As they plan the next one, there is some dissatisfaction in the group, especially not wanting to harm children. The African withdraws, the former prisoner is also shot by Hassan. This leaves Youssef to carry the bomb – but as Hassan wants the journalist to make a video confession, he reveals that he knows that he is in league with the police which builds up to an explosion and a confrontation, shootings and the police killing Hassan. And, it is revealed, that Hassan is an obsessed loner.

Direction is by Nicolas Boukhrief who went on to make The Confession, an interesting remake of Melville’s 1961 World War II drama of the priest and an atheist woman, Leon Morin, Priest.

1. A contemporary story? Reflecting events in Paris? Anticipating events in Paris in 2015? The delay in release?

2. A contemporary story, jihadists, training camps in Asia, ideologies, indoctrination, brain-washing, militancy, weapons and violence? Extremism in Islam? Knowledge of the Quran, ignorance of the Quran?

3. The Paris settings, the journalist, his work, home, family, school? The police at headquarters? The young man from the Catholic family, their ordinary French life, providing the headquarters? The former prisoners? The African? Hassan and his working in the shoe shop? The ordinariness? But sinister? The musical score?

4. The framework, Sammy giving information about himself? Writing the article? His relationship with his wife, discussing undercover work, the dangers, to her, to the sun?

5. Sam, his beard and disguise, his friendship with the members of the group? Sharing their life, the nature of the infiltration, his disguise and cover? Their accepting him?

6. The members of the group, Christophe, his Catholic background, his rebellion against its order, his parents and grandparents, want to be called Youssef, his commitment to the cause, videoing the proceedings? The contrast with Driss, in prison, knowing Hassan? Sidi, the African background? Islam, knowledge and ignorance? Their friendship?

7. Hassan, his place in the group, his cover, his story located Pakistan, the nature of the training camps, the physical training, the killing of traitors and his declaring he had killed? His claim for Al Qaeda bosses? Orders? His making them shave their beards, mingle, drink, go to clubs, issues of sexuality, the discussions about drinking, the discussions about sex? His cover and working at the shoe shop?

8. The discussions, the plans, the training, the mission, explosives, the destruction? The effect on each of them?

9. The discussions about the risks to children? Sidi and his unwilling to participate, his withdrawal? Driss? The confrontation with Hassan, his shooting them?

10. Sam, going to the police, the explanations, the backup, his searching, the phones, the setups?

11. Hassan, the girl, interrogating him, the death, folded in the shroud?

12. Youssef, going for the mission, the bomb, the phone? Hassan and his demanding that Sam make the video? Revealing that he knew the truth? The gun, Sam causing the explosion and Youssef’s death? The confrontation with Hassan, the guns, Hassan shooting him – and the irony as being saved by the Koran? The police arriving, Hassan, the confrontation, the machine gun, the police killing him? Hassan revealed as a loner, organising and controlling everything himself?

13. The end with Sam writing his article, explaining what had happened? The effect on him?

14. This film for the present audience and their experiences? Jihadi terrorism in Europe? Beyond?