LE GRAND VOYAGE
France, 2004, 92 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cazale.
Directed by Ismael Ferruchki.
This is quite a devout film for Muslim audiences. The writer-director is a Moroccan who lives in France. His story highlights what seems to be happening in all world religions at the beginning of the 21st century. The young generation has become quite secularised, especially in Europe, and do not practise their religion and deep down have either indifference or contempt for their parents and grandparents and their devout adherence to their faith.
Le Grand Voyage is not so great for the young protagonist who is being forced to miss his exams by his stern and inflexible father who tells him that he must drive him to Mecca so that he can fulfil the duty of the Hajj. So, this is a road movie, which is a pilgrimage. The pair travel through Italy, the Balkans, Turkey and Jordan, sometimes finding frontier difficulties as well as being lost and experiencing the confidence tricksters who pose as sympathetic guides (with a persuasive back story to match).
For the father, who prays regularly, it is a lifelong ambition fulfilled. He is often less than gracious to his son who, in his turn, puts on tantrums. For the son, it is in incomprehensible journey, a waste of time (and of tourism opportunities). It is only when they are in Mecca that he begins to have some understanding of his father and of the power of his Muslim heritage.
A challenging film for those who are interested in contemporary cinema interpretations of Islam and who note the similarities with and differences from their own faiths and practices.
Best screenplay award for the Spirituality Cinema award at the 2005 Fajr Film Festival, Tehran.
1.A film of the traditions of Islam, the Haj, spirituality?
2.The film in its Muslim world, in the secularised Muslim world, in the broader world context?
3.The Moroccan French, the traditions of north Africa, colonial traditions, wars of independence, migrants to France, bringing the traditions and culture, language? Yet not retaining the religious perspective for the next generation?
4.The audience perspective on pilgrimages: the comment that they were better on foot than horseback, than car, than train, than plane? The father and his comments on pilgrimages, prayer, heights and purification of the soul? The Haj as one of the pillars of Islam? The explanations given in the film?
5.The visualising of Saudi Arabia, the desert, the highways? Mecca, as a city, as the centre of pilgrimage, the range of transport, the huge crowds, the camps for the pilgrims, the processions, the sacred stone and the processions around it, prayer? A sacred city?
6.The film as a road movie: France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia? The visuals of the variety of landscapes, the countryside of France, the alps, the mountains in the Balkans? Turkey, the deserts? A trip from Europe to Asia, the roads, isolation, byroads, towns, mountains and desert?
7.The range of people: the drivers on the highways, passport control, the old silent lady who got a lift, people running the cafés, petrol stations? The money changer, Mustafa and his friendship, out on the town, the police, the shepherds, the pilgrims, beggars, belly dancers and hotels, the Mecca police, at the mortuary?
8.The introduction to Reda, working with his brother, fixing the car, his brother’s anger, his going off on his bike, wanting to contact Lisa, his brother and the drinking, losing his licence? Meeting his mother, listening to his father’s plan, having no option, four days to get ready and go?
9.The glimpse of the family, the role of the mother, the children, the meals? The farewell, Reda with his brother, the gift of the camera? Reda’s anger, secular perspective, missing his exams, trying to contact Lisa?
10.The portrait of the old man, his age and dignity, patriarchal and severe, his continued prayer, the provisions of the money, the planning of the pilgrimage, not having many years left?
11.The father and Reda, the tension in the car, Reda speeding, at the border, the documents, Reda tired at the wheel, his father braking the car, the comments about tourism, Reda uncertain, wanting to take photos, yet bypassing Milan and Venice? In the Balkans, food, the hotel, the father and his prayer mat, putting his son’s mobile phone in the garbage?
12.The old lady, silent, getting in the car, disappearing, crossing the border, reappearing, in the car, their providing the meal, hurrying away?
13.The garrulous speaker, their not understanding, hurrying away?
14.The hotel, Reda enjoying the shower, trying to ring, the phone bill, the money changer?
15.Mustafa and his friendship, Ankara, taking Reda out, their drinking and talking, putting him to bed, the father accusing Mustafa of robbing them, with the police, no evidence? The irony of Reda later discovering the money under the seat in the car? Telling his father he got the compensation from the consul?
16.Reda, going to the hotel, the dancer, bringing her to the hotel, drinking, the father’s anger and slamming the door?
17.Reda and his anger, going up the hill, the generation gap, the father climbing the hill?
18.Reda wanting meat, the father exchanging the camera for a sheep, Reda’s anger at its bleating, chasing it and losing it?
19.Getting the water, the women at the well, the begging woman, Reda and his attitude, his father giving the money, Reda’s anger and comment that they were eating only bread and eggs?
20.The camp of the way to Mecca, the friendly pilgrims? The range of pilgrims, their descriptions of the different countries from which they came? Changing their clothes, the transport, the rituals?
21.The father’s disappearance, Reda searching, desperate, anger, the police taking him, the mortuary, uncovering the dead? Identifying his father, washing him for burial?
22.Reda leaving, selling the car, getting the taxi, giving money to the beggar, leaving – and the audience gauging the effect of this experience of the pilgrimage on him?
