A young Algerian in Paris has not been as successful as he claims in letters home, and when his mother unexpectedly arrives for a visit of several months, he is hard put to hide his circumstances -- and the fact that he has resorted to small-time criminal activity to support himself. His mother disembarks in her traditional attire, a warm-hearted woman who does not have a clue as to how this foreign society functions but also has absolutely no inhibitions about finding out, if the need arises. As the story progresses, the mother catches on to her son's circumstances though the two are still not able to confront the deception and right it. Even with a low budget, this first-time feature-length story by Bahloul Bahloul combines satire, comedy, and pathos to bring home a relationship between mother and son that transcends life's many obstacles.
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Cast
19 people
Chafia Boudraa
The mother
Known for
Outside the Law
Abdellatif Kechiche
Hamou
Also in
Sorry, Haters
Bezness
Abdelkrim Bahloul
Known for
Yamakasi
Wolf
Jean Daskalidès
Krimo Bouguetof
Abdelkader
Also in
The Trip To Algiers
Jean-Claude Patrice
Also in
La Baraka
Malick Bowens
Bakaba
Known for
Out of Africa
Outbreak
Gilles Ricci
Dominique Pinon
Roger
Known for
Alien Resurrection
Delicatessen
Malek Kateb
Le Taleb
Known for
French Connection II
Brothers in Arms
Jean-Luc Boutté
Mr. Alain
Known for
Hunter Will Get You
Anne Canovas
Joséphine
Known for
EVA
Revenge of the Dead
Abdelkrim Bahloul Director · Jean Curtelin Writer Lahlou Tighremt Composer
United States release October 20, 1984 · Original title Le thé à la menthe
Production
Films A2
Production
Languages
Original title
Le thé à la menthe
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · May 1, 1984
Cannes Film Festival
United States · October 20, 1984
Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.