the genres:

Storyline:

Set in France during the struggle for Algerian independence, Messaoud's mother is terminally ill and his father, needing to work long hours in the factory, can't look after him, so decides to put him and his older brother Abdel in foster care. Sent to the countryside, Abdel has to work on a farm, but Messaoud is taken in by a childless woman, who conceals his Arab origins from her fiercely Gaullist ex-army husband. Re-named Michel/Michou, and with his hair comically dyed blond, the young boy quickly steals the hearts of both foster-parents, and eventually is instrumental in saving their troubled marriage.

Cast:

Gérard Depardieu

as Georges

Nathalie Baye

as Gisèle

Mathieu Amalric

as Jacques

Samy Seghir

as Messaoud / Michou

Catherine Hiegel

as la directrice de l'orphelinat

Philippe Nahon

as le cafetier

Bernard Yerlès

as le copain de Georges

Gérald Laroche

as Robert

Chick Ortega

as Viguier

Mohamed Fellag

as Akli

Christian Bouillette

as Le maire

Abdelhafid Metalsi

as Saïd

Marie Kremer

as Vendeuse papeterie

Gilles Détroit

as Le curé

Ludovic Berthillot

as Max

Medi Kerouani

as Abdel

Robert Plagnol

as Duval