Né quelque part

France conquered Algeria in the 1830s and it may have been a typical colony in the first decades after its annexation. Over time, however, it became so closely integrated with France that it was regarded as an integral part of France, similar to, for example, the Hawaiian Islands, which are a U.S. overseas territory. In Algeria, there was a large settlement of ethnic French people, and above all, a sizable loyalist Arab minority lived there, which became the basis of a sizable French Muslim community after the war for independence and subsequent exodus to Europe. Thanks to higher birth rates, its significance continued to grow, and today it is the subject of many French artistic works exploring the identity of the second generation of immigrants. The student Farid, who grew up in France and hardly speaks Arabic, is entrusted with resolving property issues in his ancestors' homeland due to his sick father. Upon arrival, he is confronted with the different mentality of the local community, searches for traces of his family's past, and eventually faces problems related to the theft of his documents. This is clearly a personal topic for director Mohamed Hamidi, and he demonstrates great emotional involvement, especially in scenes depicting Algerian society through the visitors of the only local café, where the social life of villagers is concentrated. Homeland is a likable film that avoids excessive sentimentality, but at the same time seeks to humanize Algerians and French Arabs and make their community accessible, as only the medium of film and television allows. At a time when Europe is often facing unnecessary Islamophobia, this is not a bad thing. Jamel Debbouze stands out from the cast alongside the main character as the black sheep of the family clan, similar, for example, to Amelie. Overall impression: 75%. (27/11/2013)

A pretty good drama with elements of humor grappling with the fact that blood is thicker than water, and none of us can deny our roots. Fortunately, I don't tend to read the content of a film before I actually watch it, so the major twist in the first third was a welcome boost, after which I followed all the action with much more interest. There was definitely something to see here. Tewfik Jallab wasn't entirely bad either, and not just with his pleasant appearance, but also with his adequate portrayal of the titular role. +++ The situation after Farid's romantic phone call with his French girlfriend in an Algerian diner, when all present have their eyes wide open and ears pricked up: "Can't one have a little privacy?" - "Do you know how to say privacy in Arabic? There are no words for that." Then everyone bursts out laughing... +++ (80%) (01/01/2021)