Fatima

By Zach Willis

The short:

Fatima details the struggles of an Algerian immigrant mother struggling to make a life for herself and her family in modern-day France.

The long:

Loosely based on Fatima Elayoubi’s collection of poems, “Prayer to the Moon”, Fatima investigates the immigrant experience in France and the cultural barriers erected between French and North African society. In the film, Fatima, a middle-aged and divorced cleaner works day and night to put her eldest daughter through medical school. The stress of this endeavor, along with generational differences in cultural norms, strains Fatima’s relationships with her daughters. Neither a feel-good movie nor a dirge, Fatima seeks to understand our need to connect and questions to whom we do and do not extend humanity

To watch or not to watch?

Please watch. Despite its brief run time of 79 minutes and a potential language barrier (the film’s primary language is French), Fatima is a deeply soulful piece even for those requiring subtitles. Its recognition as France’s best film of the year at the César awards should come as no surprise as its immaculate portrayal of the struggles of everyday life will leave few watchers with dry eyes.