Cast: Khaled, Cheb Mami, Mouss, Majim Laouriga, Farid Fedjer, Youssef Diawara, Patrice Thibaud, Mohamed Camara
Director: Mahmoud Zemmouri
Producer: Mahmoud Zemmouri
Screenplay: Mahmoud Zemmouri, Marie-Laurence Attias
Cinematography: Noel Very
U.S. Distributor: ArtMattan Productions
In French with subtitles
100% Arabica, a French import from director Mahmoud Zemmouri, blends Algerian Rai music, culture clash issues, and satirical commentary about aspects of the Muslim religion into an intriguing melange. Despite making some serious points, 100% Arabica is designed as a positive, lighthearted affair with the flavor slanted towards comedy over drama. Perhaps most interestingly for American viewers, the film opens the lid on an element of French society that many of us are unfamiliar with.
The movie takes place in a poverty-stricken, rent-controlled neighborhood on the outskirts of Paris. Inhabited primarily by Algerian immigrants, many of whom are in France illegally, the place has earned the nickname of "100% Arabica". It's a rough neighborhood - crime is rampant, gangs of juvenile delinquents roam the streets, and the police are afraid to patrol the area. When the out-of-touch mayor decides that he wants to restore order to the area, he offers a subsidy to Slimane, the imam of the local mosque. If Slimane can get people off the streets and install the fear of Allah into them, the mayor will continue the payments. Soon, the byways of 100% Arabica are almost peaceful - but not because of anything Slimane has done.
The reason is that a new Rai band, Rap Oriental, has taken the neighborhood by storm. Rather than hanging out and causing mischief, the young residents are at concerts. Slimane is outraged, outwardly fuming about the music being a heresy while inwardly concerned that Rap Oriental could cost him his subsidy and weaken his power base. Along with his ex-con right hand man, Madjid, Slimane begins to employ all of his efforts to bring down Rap Oriental, including stirring up race and culture issues, threatening to inform on those without proper papers, and invoking the name of God.
The members of Rap Oriental are shown to be positive role models. They are all reformed criminals - drug dealers, pickpockets, and thieves who have agreed to go straight and earn their money honestly. They all harbor dreams of hitting it big, but, for now, they are content to play locally. They have yet to cut an album, but a group of enterprising kids have recorded their concerts and are selling bootlegged cassettes all over the district at $4 each. The music of Rap Oriental is rapidly gaining popularity.
100% Arabica is a showcase for Rai music. Primarily Eastern in style, Rai incorporates elements of Western rock, funk, and rap. According to the film's press notes, "Rai lyrics have traditionally been bold and often racy, lacing socio-political commentary and a sassy streak of anti-authority backtalk." This has earned Rai the condemnation of fundamentalist Muslims and has driven most Rai musicians out of Algeria and to Paris. Because of his positive attitude towards this music and his open criticism of Islam, director Zemmouri has been the target of death threats.
The movie is at times slyly funny, making occasionally subtle and often bold statements about the hypocrisy that exists in certain corners of Islam (as, indeed, it exists in all religions). What Slimane professes to do in the name of God, he actually attempts for Mammon. Even some of his faithful retainers are more interested in going to a concert than attending prayer. And many supposedly well-behaved teenagers are quiet because they have an unobtrusive earplug secreted in their ear so they can listen to Rap Oriental on a portable tape player.
The stars of the movie, Khaled and Cheb Mami, are well-known Rai singers, and their charm and charisma is evident. They bring energy to the concert sequences and seem at ease during the non-singing segments. They are supported by Mouss as Slimane and Majim Laouriga as the violence-prone Madjid, whose distrust and distaste of inherent French citizens knows no bounds. The only white actor with a significant role is Bernard Lemercier, who plays Rap Oriental's manager. His clandestine relationship with Madjid's sister provides a source of low-level tension.
100% Arabica toys a little with culture clash issues, although it does not venture as deeply into this territory as the 1999 British feature, East Is East. Nevertheless, there are similarities, such as the reluctance and, at times, outright hostility of parents to see their Muslim children involved with the non-Muslim French. They may live near Paris, but they are eager to cling to their Algerian social structure. Assimilation is neither encouraged nor welcome. This insular approach can be found in isolated communities all around the world, not just in the neighborhoods depicted in 100% Arabica and East Is East. It is a hotly debated topic with no easy answers. Zemmouri does not pretend to offer a solution, although his approach suggests compromise and tolerance.
Sometimes, movies that delve into foreign cultures can seem obscure and muddled to American viewers. 100% Arabica is not one of those. Zemmouri has developed matters in a clear, straightforward fashion, permitting us to pick up details as we go along. I am far from an expert in Islam, and I know very little about Rai music, but I had no trouble following the easy, approachable rhythms of this film. And, at a relatively short 83 minutes, Zemmouri makes certain that the length is appropriate to the material - he does not drag things out just to gain another reel. Light, fresh, and enjoyable, 100% Arabica is a welcome import. (Unfortunately, due to the limited nature of its distribution, its North American exposure looks limited to film festival screenings and a limited run in New York City.)
© 2000 James Berardinelli