EXILS

France, 2004, 105 minutes, Colour.
Romain Duris, Lubna Azabal.
Directed by Tony Gatlif.

Algerian-born director, Tony Gatlif, has made many films about gypsies and about music. This time he has two wanderers, ultimately, two pilgrims, who represent his own attitudes towards his homeland and its history over the last half century.

Romain Duris and Lubna Azibal play exiles in Paris, he from a rich family who has experienced imprisonment, punishment and exile since the 60s, she a poor and mysterious woman who has little feel for her land of origin. She initially laughs heartily at the idea of travelling to Algeria.

But they do, and we journey with them – by foot, by train, by car and truck, by boat. We pass through the prosperous French countryside, the plains and deserts of Spain. We meet migrant workers who squat in ruined buildings, gypsies, dancers in Seville. And, once across the Mediterranean, the empty landscapes of Morocco and Algeria until the city of Algiers. They get rides, they do casual fruit picking work, their sexual relationship is tested. We spend a great deal of time with them.

However, the important part of the film is the time in Algiers itself, the young man coming to terms with his homeland and his heritage, the girl unwilling to bow to local traditions of dress and head cover but finally caught up in a long trancelike dance which brings her some – at least – temporary exorcism and catharsis.

Beautifully photographed with plenty of Gatlif music and songs, the impact will depend on how strongly audiences will identify with the themes of exiles and finding home and how patient they can be with the two, often querulous, leads.

1. The work of Tony Gatlif over the decades? His Algerian background but not having been there for over forty years? His work in France, interest in gypsies and gypsy life? Interest in music? His personal stories?

2. The opening, the music, the themes of democracy? The range of songs throughout the film, Gatlif’s own social lyrics? The songs of France, of gypsies, of Algeria?

3. Audience knowledge of Algerian history, the French colony in the 50s, the imprisonment of political activists, the war with France, deaths and executions, exiles? Those who stayed in Algeria? Their life over the decades? The exiles in France and their settling there? The passing of time? The desire to go back and find roots?

4. Paris and the apartments, the scenery of France – from the train, as the couple walked, passing through the towns? Spain, the countryside, Seville? The ruined buildings and the workers squatting? The fruit-picking? The Spanish port, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Morocco and its landscapes and people, Algeria, the city of Algiers? The aftermath of the earthquake?

5. The film as a journey, road movie? Zano and his wanting to find his identity, suggesting walking to Algeria? Naima and her laughing at him? The character of each of them, their backgrounds, relationship, love and sexuality, their stances towards Algeria? The making of the journey, surviving, using their wits, bluffing, work?

6. The opening and the focus on each of them, naked? The idea, the reactions, the laughter? The scenes of travel, on the train, hiding and getting off the train? The rain, washing in the fountains in the city? The ruins of building and squatting? Their meeting the two Algerian workers, their ambitions to be students, their wanting papers, wanting to stay in France? The friendship, meeting them later, the girl giving the letter to her family in Algiers? Seville, the dancing, the flamenco? Naima and her being eyed by the man in the bar, the sexual encounter? Zano and his angry reaction, jealousy? His not understanding? Their making up? The fruit-picking – and the sex among the trees? In the vehicle, boarding the ship?

7. The irony that the ship was going to Morocco, landing there, getting local help, information about documents and losing them, crossing the border? Travel by bus, the breakdown and being stranded? The young boy, his information, walking?

8. Algiers, the city itself, the visuals of the city, the couple making a pilgrimage, meeting the family? The overview of the city, the tour? Naima and her having to wear a veil and long dress – and her angry reaction, her not wanting to bow to customs and sensitivities? The young man from the family and his help?

9. The visit to the family home, Zano and his meeting the people, the room and house still preserved as it was, the box of photos, his finding his roots, his weeping?

10. Naima and her resistance, she and Zano going with the group, the Soofies(?) and their musical tradition, the trance, the pain, Naima and her wound, the woman knowing what had happened to her, inviting her to participate in the music and the trance? A kind of exorcism and catharsis?

11. The two, their future, in Algiers, in France? Their sense of themselves? Their achievement in the pilgrimage to Algeria? As alter-egos for the writer-director himself?