BEST OF FESTS

LA MER AU LOIN

2024 / 112 min / color

The protagonist of the second film in Saïd Hamich Benlarbi’s directorial portfolio is 27-year-old Nour (an impressive acting debut by Ayouba Gretaa). He leaves his home in Morocco and travels to the French city of Marseille illegally, seeking better opportunities. He gets through each day alongside a group of compatriots, living hand to mouth, relying mainly on petty crime. But at a certain point the gang breaks up and Nour is left to fend for himself, penniless and lacking the documents that would allow him to stay in France legally. Benlarbi’s film consists of three chapters, depicting Nour’s life over the course of a decade. Starting from his exciting Marseilles beginnings, through his peculiar acquaintance with a policeman named Serge (played by acclaimed French actor Grégoire Colin) and his wife Noémie (Anna Mouglalis), and ending with the choices that will define his future. Screened at the last Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week, Across the Sea depicts a young immigrant’s eventful and spiritually significant journey in search of happiness. Benlarbi tells a rich story about the complexities of human life, approaching his characters with a great deal of humanity and empathy.