Winner — France Culture Award, 2004 Cannes Film Festival
Set against the backdrop of contemporary Marrakech, Raja is
a cross-cultural drama about the relationship of a middle-aged
Frenchman (Pascal Greggory) with a poor local girl played by Najat
Benssallem, whose stunning performances earned her awards at both the
Venice and Marrakech Film Festivals. Raja is a nineteen year-old
orphan literally and figuratively scarred by life. Fred is an
emotionally bankrupt westerner living amidst plush gardens and palm
trees. Fred's attempts to seduce Raja, and their mutual attempts at
manipulation, are fractured by their gross disparity of income, age and
cultural sophistication.
“Jacques Doillon's serious comedy Raja gets to the
bottom and stirs up all the mucky dregs of a question so complex and
ticklish that movies tend to shy away from exploring it in any
depth…What distinguishes Raja from every other movie to
contemplate the treacherous intersection of passion, avarice and power
is its unsettling emotional honesty. The two central performances are
so spontaneous and mercurial that the reckless flirtation seems to be
unfolding before your eyes.” - New York Times
DVD available from Film Movement, FilmMovement.com.
About CINEMONDO:
Link TV's CINEMONDO is a nationally broadcast, ground breaking world cinema series hosted and co-curated by Peter Scarlet, Artistic Director of the Tribeca Film Festival. CINEMONDO brings international cinema with great artistic, cultural and political value to the living rooms of Link TV’s American audiences. Learn more.
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