“Divines”, THE new film

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Oulaya Amamra plays Dounia and is amazing

Oulaya Amamra plays Dounia and is amazing

I would never have seen this movie if Frédérique Bredin, President of Centre national du cinéma, had not invited me to a private screening at the beginning of the summer. « Divines », a new film by Houda Benyamina, will be the talk of the Rentrée in Paris. With a budget of under 3 million € and three fabulous lead girls from the Projects, this first film won a Caméra d’or at the Cannes film festival. And it was bought by Netflix for a record sum of 1 M€.

With Rebecca, the dealer, Dounia learns to make money the had way

With Rebecca, the dealer, Dounia learns to make money the hard way

Dounia and Maimouna are best friends : one is small and slim, the other one, very fat and tall and is the daughter of an Imam. The two girls use their abayas to steal in the supermarket and try to make a life for themselves in a hopeless « cité » (project) where drug and sex are the only ways to make any money and move forward.

On the Champs Elysées, the two girlfriends conquer Paris

On the Champs Elysées, the two girlfriends conquer Paris

The description of their training as receptionists is hilarious and their first experiences with drug dealers are frightening. There is a moment in the film when violence becomes almost unbearable until the charm and talent of Oulaya Amamra (Dounia) takes the screen over. And the presence of “God”, any god is palpable…

The director Houda Benyamina strikes success with her first film

The director Houda Benyamina strikes success with her first film

The 36 year old director, Houda Benyamina, was herself a violent kid until reading Céline and “Voyage au bout de la nuit” got her interested in litterature. After studying to be an actress and directing a few short films, she started the association « Mille visages » which helps develop cinema in the projects and her main actress was studying acting there since she was 12.
The motto of the film is Money Money Money (in English) and one can only admire the courage and determination of these lost girls. The brutality of some of the scenes is softened by a very good story and some romantic moments when Dounia falls in love with a dancer, who works as a security guard during the day.
From being a « bastard », father unknown, she moves on to become a sexy night clubber, to only fall again.
This film was prompted by the violent events that took place in France in the projects in 2005. Its ending is dramatic and one comes out of the screening with trembling legs. But it is a great film and its actors will have a career.

Djigui, the dancer is the only moment of romance in the film

Djigui, (Kevin Mischel) the very sexy dancer, brings a moment of romance to the film

It could only happen, as the producer Marc-Benoît Créancier told us, thanks to CNC’s advance of 500 000€. President Hollande was right to renew Frédérique Bredin for three years and Julie Gayet was there at the screening to prove it ! (From August 31, in all French movie theaters)

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