TOUR DE FRANCE
West Coast Premiere • Drama • France, 2016
DCP • 1.85 • Dolby 5.1 • Color • 95 min
Written and Directed by: Rachid Djaïdani
Cinematography: Luc Pagès
Film Editing: Nelly Quettier
Original Score: Clément Dumoulin
Produced by: Anne-Dominique Toussaint (Les Films des Tournelles), Film Factory, Mars Films, Cité Films
Cast: Gérard Depardieu (Serge), Sadek (Far'Hook), Louise Grinberg (Maude), Mabo Kouyaté (Sphynx), Yasiin Bey (Focé)
International Sales: Cité Films
In his first film role, French rapper Sadek takes to the road alongside veteran Gérard Depardieu on a tour of the seaports of France. When Far'Hook, an angry but sensitive young Muslim rap artist, crosses a violent rap rival known as Sphynx, he needs to leave Paris until the heat dies down. His producer Bilal sends him south to act as a driver for Bilal’s crotchety old man Serge. A retired stone mason turned Sunday painter, Serge needs someone to drive him around as he fulfills a promise he made to his deceased wife to recreate the works of 18th century maritime painter Claude-Joseph Vernet. What Far’Hook doesn’t know, is that Serge is a racist, and a reactionary who despises rap music. Their culture clash squares off for battle, Serge’s cheeses and oil paints versus Far’Hook’s apps and bling. But the more this odd couple learns about one another, the more they like. An exuberant cry for tolerance and diversity in the face of a changing nation.
This second feature from Sudanese-Algerian writer/director Rachid Djaïdan premiered at Cannes Director’s Fortnight, the same venue where his debut Hold Back (COLCOA 2013) won the FIPRESCI prize in 2012. While his first feature was an impressive guerilla style film nine years in the making, his latest effort is a more polished production, and, thankfully, took considerably less time to finish. Both films address racism, tolerance, and what it means to be French, albeit in very different settings. Djaïdan has had many career incarnations, including professional boxing. His novel Boumkoeur, a cult bestseller in 1999, was followed by Mon nerf (2004), and Viscéral (2007). Before he turned to directing, Djaïdan was a stage actor, having toured for 5 years with Peter Brook’s theater company.
