To replace such bright stars as Vincent Cassel, Gaspar Ulliel come new, also bright, stars. One of these stars is Fuad Et Aatu. He has an attractive appearance: these are charming, but indifferent green eyes, plump lips at the same time. If there is anything repulsive in it, it is barely perceptible. I was not impressed by his acting skills this time. Rather, with his indifferently beautiful face, he did nothing throughout the film. But decorated the frame, at times, diluting the sumptuous landscapes of the south. At the end of this picture, you seem to convince yourself of what turns out to be in life, you can endlessly look at three things: at the surf, at the starry sky and at Fuad Et Aatua walking around without his outer clothes.
For starters, it should be noted that throughout the film narrative there is a military conflict between the Algerian rebels, who are fighting for the independence of Algeria, respectively, and the French colonialists.
After a small introduction on the screen, the viewer is given the opportunity to see memories from the childhood of the main character, Jonas. Memories are tragic, but at the same time associated with deep emotional experiences, such as the loss of loved ones, pre-war turmoil, first love, etc. First, ten-year-old Jonas, from an Algerian village, observes his father’s self-destruction. The boy has to see his powerlessness, anger, and despair. After this, in his life there is a sharp transition into a new world, and into a new life, as he himself notices. Moving to the port city on the coast of Algeria, where there is a kind of colonial oppression of the Arab population, it is not Jonas, but rather Janas, quickly adjusts to a new life.
(Rio Salado) And so, finally, the change of frames and we see an adult phenomenon, in the form of a young man, Janas. The tragedies of childhood seemed long forgotten, but the sad Arabic melody still rings. Our protagonist loves isolation, it seems that he cannot decide who he really is. Somewhere in the dialogue flow of the characters, something disdainfully said about the Arabs sounds, and Janas gets up and walks away from the frame in vague silence, even though the screen obsessively follows him. This important episode from the very beginning makes it clear to the viewer that something is happening in the soul of the main character. Stormy inner peace.
After meeting a girl from the past, Janas is forced to make a promise. But throughout the film drama, I can hardly understand: does he want to break his oath or is he glad that this vow was made on him? Is our hero capable of high feelings? Calling “her” the love of life, the indifferent face expresses nothing. Maybe the realization that he is capable of loving will come too late. Here the viewer will have to think up the hero’s heart impulses on his own. Quickly changing events, rapidly moving people's lives on the screen, accompanied by cheerful melodies. But only the boy decides to go home, the Eastern motif sounds again, as if reminding that everything is not easy in the lost Arab soul.