La Graine et le Mulet (Couscous with Mullet): Food and Family Politics

Couscous with Mullet, or “The Secret of the Grain” is a movie of Tunisian born director Abdellatif Kechiche. I love this movie and this is why I am writing this article.

Let me start by introducing the characters of the movie

Slimane is a 60 year old dock worker who has been fired and is divorced from his wife Souad. He lives at the hotel of his partner, Latifa.

Souad is the ex-wife of Slimane and mother of their children. Most importantly, she is the cook of the magnificent “Couscous with Mulet”, the dish that permeates the film like a music score.

Latifa is the hotel owner and partner of Slimane, and mother of Rym. She has not come to terms with the fact that Slimane’s ex-wife and children do not accept her as a member of the family.

Rym is Latifa’s daughter and is the key person of the movie after Slimane.

The plot goes like this.

Slimane has a dream to open a couscous restaurant, serving his ex-wife’s recipe of couscous with mullet (kephalos in Greek). He buys an old tugboat and transforms it into a floating restaurant.

Rym supports Slimane in making his dream come true. She goes with him to the Bank, to the Local Authority, trying to get all the permits, the loans, and when the opening night comes, she fights (and succeeds) to convince her mother to go to the restaurant.

There is however drama in the opening night, far more serious than Latifa’s hesitation.

The couscous that Souad has cooked disappears. It is in the boot of Slimane’s son car, but never made it to the restaurant. It is still in the boot, and far away. The crowd gathered in the restaurant become edgy. They are hungry, they want their food. And at this point, Rym dances one of the most exhilarating belly dances I have ever seen. Take a look at this video clip.

While Rym is dancing her heart away, Latifa is preparing another pot of couscous to replace the one that disappeared.

What I saw in the movie

This is a movie about food and the politics of the family. It is only to be expected that food is intricately related to the politics of the family, as it is one of the fundamental elements in our lifes. Yet it is seldom that it emerges as such in cinema or other arts.

Lets start with the ex-wife and Slimane’s children. They all have a regular Sunday lunch, and Souad cooks her famous couscous with mullet. We are talking about a broken family that tries to hang together by the skin of its teeth. Disintegration and breakage is not only between father and mother. One of the sons, married to a Russian immigrant, with a baby recently born, is having an affair with another woman in a rather obvious and provocative way. In a very tense scene towards the end of the movie, the Russian wife openly accuses Souad as the supporter of her son in his amorous adventures outside his marriage.  This accusation is thrown in the face of Slimane, who appears to be the originator of the path to infidelity and break of the family. Isn’t he the one who now lives with another woman, isn’t he the one who is outside the family? Isn’t it natural for the son to copy the father’s behavior?

Over the Sunday couscous, the family would appear to be united again, even at the cost of pretending to be so. The same couscous is however the kernel of Slimane’s new life as a restaurant owner. And Slimane is not the cook, Souad is. The couscous is the material that even temporarily unites the family, it is the – potentially – only solid ground on which the family can step on. The dish exists and will continue to exist because it brings with it the memories of the motherland, and therefore the motherland itself.  The movie takes place in a small town in the south of France, with a large community of immigrants from North Africa. All the leading characters are either North African or Russian (the son’s wife).

There is another layer in the movie: who is the leading character? Is Slimane the protagonist? I am not so sure. He opens the restaurant, but the cook of the signature dish is his ex-wife, Souad. And when the crisis of the missing couscous breaks out, it is not Slimane who resolves it, but Rym and Latifa. Slimane appears to be willing but weak. The force of nature named Rym is the real protagonist of the movie, and a very charming one. She loves, she demands, she argues, she wants what she considers to be hers. And she desperately tries to support Slimane. She desperately wants a father, and a man for her mother.

I could go on, but want to stop here. I hope that I have given enough motives to those who have not seen the movie to go and see it. As for the ones who have already seen it, this is an invitation to rethink the movie, and/or see it again. Every good movie deserves to be seen at least twice.

The Awards

César 2008

As you may have already spotted on the poster, the film won 4 Cesar awards (the French equivalent to the Oscar)

• Best Director – Meilleur réalisateur - Abdellatif Kechiche pour La graine et le mulet
• Best film – Meilleur film - La graine et le mulet, réalisé par Abdellatif Kechiche, produit par Claude Berri
• Most promising actress – Meilleur espoir féminin Hafsia Herzi dans La graine et le mulet
• Most original scenario – Meilleur scénario original- Abdellatif Kechiche pour La graine et le mule

64 Mostra Internazionale d’ Arte Cinematografica di Venezia

In the 64th Film Festival of Venice, the film won two awards.

• Silver Lion – Leone d’ Argento – Gran Premio della Giuria – Cous Cous
• Award – Premio Marcello Mastroiani for a new actor/actress – ad un attore o attrice emergente  - Hafsia Herzi

Aurora – Dawn – Χαραμα

Dawn, Kaletzi, Attiki, Greece

The landscape is barren. There are a few burned trees.

Detail

But the symphony of colors enveloping the tortured landscape is beautiful, almost magical. And the noise of silence supplements it.

Sunrise

A few minutes later the sun is up. Another day begins. What will it bring? On reflection, it does not matter. I am so mesmerized by the dawn that I almost discount the prospect of the bright light.

Roula, Despoinarion, Manolis

This is a thank you note to the three champions of commenting on this blog.

They are:

Roula with 100 comments, Despoinarion with 87 comments and Manolis with 100 comments.

This is not a routine or a habit. This is open expression and authentic communication. Which I enjoy and cherish.

Thank you my champions blog-friends.

I also want to thank all the other visitors and friends who take the time to leave a comment.

Panathinaikos on the Obama – Erdogan agenda

Στη συναντηση Ομπαμα – Ερντογαν στο Λευκο Οικο, συζητηθηκε και η αγορα των μετοχων του Παναθηναικου.

Ιδου η στιχομυθια:

Ομπαμα: Τι χαμπαρια Ρετζεπ;

Ερντογαν: Ολα καλα Μπαρακ, μονο αυτος ο Παναθηναικος μου εχει ζαλισει τους λουκουμαδες.

Ομπαμα: Γιατι ετσι Ρετζεπ;

Ερντογαν: Ηθελα να αγορασω την ομαδα, αλλα μου ζητησαν να βαψω την Τουρκικη σημαια πρασινη!

Salaam Aleikum (*) Panathinaikos!

(*) Salaam aleikum means ‘peace be upon you’.

(*) Σαλαμ αλεκουμ σημαινει “πορευου εν ειρηνη”.

Και ιδου, εντω μεσω της νυκτος, αλλαζει αρδην η κατασταση! Ο Σαουδαραβας πριγκηπας Σουλτάν Μπιν Νάσερ Έντιν Φαρχάν Αλ Σαούντ θελει να αγορασει τον Παναθηναικο!

Σαλαμ Αλεκουμ Σουλταν!

Κραυγαζει και αλαλαζει η νεα, η πιστη οπαδος της Παναθας και μετα αυτης και εγω, γονυπετης και ενεος. (Προσοχη! Η επιλογη της νεας δια την υποδοχη εν ειναι τυχαια! Ειναι γνωστη η αδυναμια των Σαουδαραβων δια τας ξανθας νεας. Εξαλλου δεν απεχει τουτο πορω και των ελληνικων προτιμησεων, εξ ης και ο πολλαπλασιασμος των αφυσικων ξανθων γυναικων εντος της ελληνικης επικρατειας).

Και μονο η αρμονια των χρωματων της σημαιας της Σαουδικης Αραβιας, σηματοδοτει το ορθον της προτασεως δια το μελλον της ομαδας. Ο Σουλτανος μας ειναι πρασινος και ασπρος!

Πριν συνεχισω με την παρουσιαση της βαθυστοχαστης αναλυσης που εχω ετοιμασει, παρακαλω να αναγνωσεις καλη μου αναγνωστρια το παρακατω αποσπασμα απο το ρεπορταζ της Ναυτεμπορικης, την οποιαν και ευχαριστω:

Την ύπαρξη της πρότασης επιβεβαίωσε ο κ. Γόντικας, ο οποίος υποστήριξε ότι θα ελεγχθεί εξονυχιστικά, ενώ αποχωρώντας από τα γραφεία της ΠΑΕ ο ίδιος ο κ. Τσάκας προσπάθησε να σκιαγραφήσει το προφίλ του Σαουδάραβα πρίγκιπα.

«Είναι ένας νέος πρίγκιπας, 26 χρονών και έχω την τιμή να είναι φίλος μου. Έκανα πολλές προσπάθειες εδώ και καιρό για να πετύχω την προσφορά, και την καταφέραμε. Πιστεύω θα πάμε καλά, η πρόταση είναι ξεκάθαρη», σχολίασε αρχικά.

Στη συνέχεια ισχυρίστηκε ότι ο πρίγκιπας θα έρθει στην Ελλάδα στις αρχές Οκτωβρίου για να συζητήσει ο ίδιος την επένδυσή του στον Παναθηναϊκό.

«Μέχρι τέλος του μήνα, στις αρχές Οκτώβριου ο πρίγκιπας θα είναι στην Ελλάδα. Μπορώ να σας δώσω αύριο το προφάιλ. Είναι διάδοχος του θρόνου της Σαουδικής Αραβίας. Εχει πολλές εταιρείες, μία από αυτές ασχολείται με κατασκευές. Είναι νέος με μοντέρνες αντιλήψεις, ενδιαφέρεται για επενδύσεις στην Ελλάδα», έιπε.

Για ολιγη χαλαρωση του αναγνωστη της ταπεινης αυτης σελιδας παραθετω εικονογραμμα μετα μουσικης, της αοιδου Λειλα, ητις ευχεται εις τον ακροατην “ειρηνη εντος και εκτος της ψυχης”. 

Εχων ενσωματωσει τα φιλειρηνικα συναισθηματα της Λειλα, και με τμημα του εγκεφαλου και της καρδιας μου εις τα ανοικτα της Κυπρου, οπου και κειται η Αποκλειστικη Οικονομικη Ζωνη, ητις ειναι πληρης πετρελαιου, επανερχομαι εις το καυτο θεμα της σωτηριας της Παναθας.

Το πρωτο και βασικο στοιχειο του μετασχηματισμου ειναι η αλλαγη της μασκωτ. Η συμπαθεστατη Λειλα. η καμηλα της φωτογραφιας (Πηγη Marvel of the desert: the camel in Saudi Arabia), θα γινει η νεα μασκωτ της ομαδας. Ολα τα δυτικοτροπα αρκουδακια, και αλλα ζωακια πανε περιπατο.

Το δευτερο σημαντικο στοιχειο αφορα τις εις το επεκεινα μετακινησεις οπαδων της ομαδας. Η νεα διοικηση της ομαδας ειναι φιλειρηνικη. Ως εκ τουτου, θα συνεργασθει πληρως με την αστυνομια για την καταπατηση της βιας. Οι οπαδοι μας θα μετακινουνται με καμηλες προκειμενου να μηδενισθει ο κινδυνος επεισοδιων κατα και μετα την μεταβαση εις αλλοτριες πολεις.

Η τριτη μεγιστη αλλαγη εγκειται εις τα σουβλακια που θα τρωμε στη διαρκεια, πριν και μετα τον αγωνα. Θα ειναι ολα απο αρνισιο κιμα, σε απολυτη αρμονια και με τις παραδοσεις των δυο αδελφων λαων. Ποιμενικη η Ελληνικη κουζινα, νομαδικη η σαουδαραβικη, με βαση το αρνακι και το κατσικι.

Η τεταρτη μεγαλη επιπτωση αφορα την Ελλαδα μας, την πατριδα μας, την οικονομια μας. Δεν θα περιοριστει στην Παναθα ο Πριγκηψ, θα  επενδυσει και στην Ελλαδα!Επιτελους!!!!! Σωτηρια!!!!!!! Ολες οι Κασσανδρες, οι τοκογλυφοι, οι μασωνοι, οι εχθροι της Ελλαδος θα σκασουνε απο το κακο τους!!!!! Η Ελλαδα εχει φιλους εχει επενδυτες, εχει σωτηρες, εχει μελλον, θα ξαναρχισουμε να ξοδευουμε οσα λεφτα δεν εχουμε, θα γυρισει η ζωη μας ξανα στα παληα καλα που ξεραμε, και να πανε να σαβουριαστουνε οι βορειοευρωπαιοι, οι ξενερωτοι, οι νευρωτικοι, εμεις παμε χερι χερι με τους επενδυτες μας και τους αγνοουμε ολους αυτους.

Η πεμπτη τεραστια επιπτωση αφορα την εξωρυξη πετρελαιου στην ΑΟΖ της Κυπρου. Τερμα τα διφραγκα αγαπητοι γειτονες Τουρκοι! Οσο και αν το θελετε, δεν θα το μπορεσετε!!!!! Με την πανισχυρη παρουσια και επενδυση του Πριγκηπα, ολα τα πετρελαια ειναι δικα μας!!!!!! Αντε θα δωσουμε και λιγα στου Ρωσους που εχουνε τοσα και τοσα επενδυσει στην Κυπρο (προχθες μολις δωσανε και δανειο 2,5 δις ΕΥΡΩ στην Κυπριακη Δημοκρατια για να αποφυγει το ξεκωλιασμα της τροικας).

Αισθανομαι βαρεια τα βλεφαρα μου. Η υπερπροσπαθεια συγγραφης αυτου του εθνοσωτηριου αρθρου με κατεβαλε. Βαινω αρον αρον τον εαυτον μου επι κλινης ασκεπης και αραχτος. Αλλα και ευτυχης.

Αλεκουμ Σαλαμ Πριγκηπα!!!!!

 

Callas and Visconti in Opera

Today is the anniversary of the death of Maria Callas.  She died in Paris, France, on 16th September 1977.

Last year I wrote on her masterclass in the Julliard School of Music in New York City  in 1971-1972, focusing on her teaching the singing of Rigoletto’a aria ”Cortigiani vil razza dannata”.

Remembering Callas today brought to me the memory of her collaboration with the gigantic figure of Luchino Visconti.

Visconti is the man who opened the door of Love in Callas’ existence. Callas became a different woman after meeting Visconti.

Visconti first saw and heard Callas perform in Wagner’s “Parsifal” in Rome in 1949.  Visconti instinctively felt that Callas was the singer and tragic actress that could work with him in his own operatic stagings.

The Visconti – Callas collaboration begun with the 1954 production of Spontini’s “La Vestale” in Milan’s La Scala.

In their joint appearance on French television in 1969 (see below), Visconti said: “I started to direct Opera bacause of , no, not bacause of, but for Maria Callas”.

Follow the link to Re-visioning Callas in order to read interesting relevant material and see two clips.

Four more operas followed: La sonnambula, La Traviata, Anna Bolena, and Iphigenie en Tauride. In a period of three years Visconti and Callas gave the world five wonderful operatic productions and performances.

In April 1969 Callas gave a series of interviews to French television, inviting as her guests some of her friends in life and in arts. One of the was Luchino Visconti. You can view the clip .

Bacchus Sculptures – Three examples of Greek Art

Great Art is a mix of two basic components. The first is the accumulation of the past. The second is the break away from the past. In an earlier post, I presented Michelangelo’s Bacchus in Florence’s Bargello. Today I would like to view some earlier sculptures depicting Dionysus or Bacchus, the God of Wine. This will serve to highlight the first component of Great Art, the tradition that Michelangelo inherited, and will make it easier to appreciate his creation.

Dionysus, Bronze, Greece 460 BC. Musee du Louvre, Paris

I start with a Greek statuette of Dionysus as a young man, of the 5th century BC. I quote from the Louvre site:

“Created c.460 BCE, this statuette bears witness to the aesthetic innovations introduced by the generation of sculptors who worked in the Severe style, after the Archaic period and before the Classical period. The contours are more flowing and the distribution of weight is new. The tilted pelvis and the accompanying movement of the muscles add life to the figure, although the line of the shoulders remains horizontal: the contrapposto arrangement of the figure developed by Polyclitus of Argos toward the mid-fifth century BCE had not yet been adopted at this point. The youth is captured in a walking position, with his weight on his left leg and the right leg bent, the heel of the right foot probably raised from the ground in the manner of works by Polyclitus of a few years later. The weight of the body is thus shifted on to one leg alone. The treatment of the skillfully proportioned musculature also anticipates the athletic figures of Polyclitus. The hair, caught up in a short style, reflects the style common at the time. The grave facial expression, finally, contrasts with the open smiles of the Archaic kouroi.”

Praxiteles: Hermes and the infant Dionysus, 4th century BC

I continue with Praxiteles’ infant Dionysus held by Hermes, one of the most beautiful sculptures of Ancient Greece, now in the Archaelogical Museum of Olympia in Greece. I quote from the Museum of Art and Archaeology of the University of Missouri:

“When Zeus, king of the gods, revealed himself to his mortal lover Semele, she was at once incinerated by his divine radiance. Zeus, however, was able to rescue their unborn child by sewing him within his own thigh. Following the birth of the child, Zeus ordered Hermes, his messenger, to hide the newborn from his jealous wife Hera, who sought to destroy any remnants of the affair, including the newborn. Hermes swiftly took the baby to remote mountains for hiding, where nymphs raised the child. Under their care, the infant Dionysos grew to maturity and became the god of wine, revelry, and theater. Hermes and the Infant Dionysos depicts the messenger before he delivered the infant to the mountain nymphs.

German excavators discovered the statue in 1877 in the Temple of Hera at Olympia. Pausanias, a second century A.D. historian, describes his tour of this temple in which he saw such a statue said to be by Praxiteles.

Praxiteles achieved a naturalism and intimacy not seen before in sculpture. His style moved away from the hard, scientific vision of the earlier Classical Period. Unbalanced poses, sensuous forms, playful subjects, and use of emotion contrast with the previous period’s idealized and stoic works. The innovations evident in Hermes and the Infant Dionysos define the Late Classical Period and signify changes fully realized in the Hellenistic Period.”

Borghese Vase, detail, Musee du Louvre, Paris

To conclude this short detour, I would like to view the Borghese Vase, now in the Louvre. The Vase was made in Athens in the 1st century BC, of Pentelikon marble. Quoting from the Louvre site: “These large vases, much appreciated by the Romans as decoration for their gardens, were mass-produced in workshops in Athens and then exported to Italy in large quantities. Athenian marble workers specialized in making these pieces. The rapid Hellenisation of the Roman ruling class that resulted from the conquests stimulated the development of backward-looking styles. Since pillaging by Roman generals was not sufficient to meet the growing demand for Greek works, artists drew on the repertoires of ealier periods of Greek art. The relief decoration represents a Bacchic procession. Satyrs and maenads dance to music, accompanying Dionysus and Ariadne, who preside over the revels. The models for the decoration are drawn from Hellenistic art of the mid-second century BC.”

Greece as Manon Lescaut in the Louisiana swamps: “sola, perduta, abbandonata”

In the early hours of Friday, 2nd September 2011, the attempt to rescue Greece from bancrupty suffered yet another setback. The discussions between the Greek Government and the “troika” of The Euroepan Commission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Centeral Bank broke down and will commence after ten days.

Painting by Cy Twombly - from Mandy's blog "16 House"

The agreed measures for the rescue of Greece apparently do not work. The two sides (or four) do not agree on the reasons. The Greek Government represented by the Minister of Finance Mr. Venizelos is actually fudging the issue.

All the pain and misery these measures have imposed on the financially weaker members of the Greek Society like the low level  pensioners, appear to have been in vain. The situation is simply becoming worse. The country is now “officially” in deep recession, estimated to exceed 5% in 2011.

Painting by Cy Twombly - from Mandy's blog "16 House"

In addition to the now broadly recognized inefficiency of the Greek Government, we have the inability of the troika to make the necessary revisions and adjustments to the “measures” so that the “recipe” works. So Greece is lost in the midle of  its worst crisis after the second world war, not knowing what to do, and unfortunately, being unable to do anything (perduta).

Etching by Henry Moore

The situation gets a lot worse for Greece, as Portugal, Ireland and Spain have in a very short period of time have had positive results of their recovery efforts.

Greece is becoming increasingly isolated (sola).

The probability of Greece being abandoned by the European Community members is increasing to frightening levels (abbandonata).

Louise Bourgeois, Avenza Revisited II, 1968-1969.

The similarities between Greece and Manon Lescaut end here. Manon dies in the hands of her true love, Des Grieux. In the case of Greece, there is no one to die for. In addition, the end seems to be taking a long time. It is as if there is an Intensive Care Unit bed in the middle of the swamp, and some weird doctors have put the dying country in the respirator. The brain has stopped functioning, only the heart works with mechanical support.

Francis Bacon, Crucifixion, detail

Manon died a dignified death. May be they must let Greece off the respirator.