Les hommes libres

Among the Righteous Among Nations at Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial of Ha Shoah or Holocaust, the names of Arabs who saved Jews are absent. Even Morocco's Mohammed V, who, defying Vichy authorities, put his 650,000 Jewish subjects under the Sherifian throne's protection and saved them not only from wearing the dreaded Yellow Star but as a community, has no place among the Righteous.

In his own way, Ismaël Ferrouki is trying to correct this historical omission.

The Franco-Moroccan film maker's Les Hommes Libres or Free Men opened quietly at New York's Quad Cinema on Friday March 16. The film is set in Paris at a time of a great moral dilemma when Jews were being rounded up by the French police for extermination camps. And in this dark hour of French indifference to these arrested, the rector of la Mosque de Paris Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit, subtly played by Michel Lansdale, provided certificates to mainly, but not exclusively, to North African Jews, which attested that they were Muslims.

Bengharit plays a cat-and-mouse game with the Nazi authorities and the collaborationist Pétain representatives to give aid and comfort to Jews, whom, as he says, "are one of us."

The presence of North African Jews and Muslims in France has much to do with French colonialism. For, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia were under France's control; the need for workers attracted North Africans to metropolitan France; money earned there would be sent back to support families.

Ferrouki's conceit has become controversial; his theme is based on oral history, anecdotes and some written testimony. Algerian-born Jewish historian Benjamin Stora has acted as an adviser on Free Men.

Owing to the current climate of fear created since 9/11 and growing criticism of Israel, the very idea of a picture about Muslim saving Jews might seem aberrant if not perverse. And yet, the wife of Holocaust survivor and Peace-prize Nobelist Élie Wiesel, herself saved by Tunisian Muslims has unsuccessfully appealed to have her benefactor added to the list of the Righteous.

The film's moral authority centers around friendship among Ben Ghabrit, Younis , a black marketer, admirably portrayed by Tahir Rahm, and the Algerian Jewish singer Salim Halali (Mahmoud Shalaby, an Israeli Arab) who has the voice of an angel.

Halali sings in Arabic. His songs' lyrics help move the film's narrative; they set the mood of war's terrors and dangers even though they are at heart love songs.

To Americans, Jews singing in Arabic may seem an anomaly. Nonetheless, the Sephardim in North Africa spoke Arabic. Unfamiliar to Americans as well are the names, say, of the Algerian Enrico Macias, the blind Reinette l'Oranaise and the Moroccan cantor Sami El Maghribi, who sang in Arabic.

Running through Free Men is the thread of resistance against Fascism and colonialism among a handful of French and Algerians. Some knowledge of French and North African history would be helpful here: the name of Messali El Hadj, considered the father of Algeria's nationalist movement, is central to Franco-Algerian resistance in fighting for democracy.

El Hadj's manifesto considered Jew and Muslim equal and part and parcel of the Algerian community. His unfulfilled hope was that at war's end France would accord Algerians full and equal rights.

Younes slowly comes around to joining the resistance. He sees in Salim, not a Jew, but an Algerian soul mate, a mirror of his own identity. Ben Ghabrit provides Salim the means of survival in order to outwit the French police after his arrest.

The film's story is told with simplicity and convincing honesty. An old Moroccan palace was transformed into the Paris Mosque.

Les Hommes Libres should be seen if only to see a slice of North African Jewish and Muslim fraternity. Perhaps, it is hoped, it may spur the American film goer to read about North African history.

"Les hommes libres" may not be outstanding in terms of cinematic art. This is definitely not an avant-garde film. It is true that the director, Ismaël Ferroukhi (who previously gave us the sensitive "Le Grand Voyage"), is content to illustrate the screenplay he has written. That is the reason why most French film critics (who dislike a film with a beginning, a middle and an end but without any particular effects) looked down on this yet interesting, informative and thought-provoking piece of filming. So just disregard what they say and watch "Les hommes libres". You will not be let down.

The story (written by Ferroukhi and Alain-Michel Blanc), set in occupied France between1942 and 1944, revolves around a character named Younes, an Algerian immigrant who surprisingly evolves from petty black marketeer to informer for the French collaborationist police to Resistance fighter. He is one of those interesting characters who are buffeted by circumstances and end up heroes without them suspecting it in the slightest. First only interested in getting money to survive, Younes will be forced by the French police to spy on the rector of the Paris mosque, of whom the Nazis have every reason to think he helps Jews. This will in fact be his road to Damascus, for instead of enjoying working for the forces of evil (like "Lacombe Lucien" did in Louis Malle's masterpiece), he finds out that the occupiers and their sycophants are up to no good. And although reluctant to take action at first, he is finally persuaded to fight for the French Resistance.

Even more interesting, because more ambiguous, is the relationship Younes develops with Salim (a singer of Algerian origin, both Jewish and gay) who has taken shelter at the Mosque. Salim is at once a gifted singer and an engaging and charming human being, a tortured creature and a sometimes unreliable friend. Younes, despite his lack of education, has already understood that the Nazis are evil but, through Salim, he becomes aware of something even more essential : a human being's rights must be defended even if this person is imperfect.

Well made on the whole (one defect being an occasional lack of rhythm), posing genuine moral problems, very well acted by Tahar Rahim (whose "shy" style of acting becomes his naive character to perfection) and Mahmud Shalaby, already excellent in "Une bouteille à la mer" (a young actor who manages to combine natural charm, depth and intensity as Salim), "Les hommes libres" has the great merit to unveil the heroic role played during World War II by the Paris Mosque and its rector Si Kaddour (jauntily embodied by another great man, actor Michael Lonsdale). I had personally never heard of this major historical figure and I do not think I am the only one. So, let us thank Ismaël Ferroukhi for this revelation rather than criticize him for not being an avant- garde artist.

Another film inspired by the Nazi invasion in France. This one shows a more normal side of life, where the danger and the dread is not taken seriously until something happens. Lots of close calls to keep the tension and enough normalcy to imagine how it could be tolerated.

"Free Men (les hommes libres) a masterpiece. It's a historical fiction film exploring Muslim-Jewish solidarity through the (true) story of the Shaykh of the Grand Mosque in Paris during Nazi occupied France who issued certificates for Jewish families (stating that they are Muslim) for their owns safety (the same mosque also gave 1500 Jews refuge in their basement).

Beyond it's potent themes though, it's a film that underlines the ordinariness of heroism with such subtlety & deftness. There are moments of powerful stillness that contrast with the violent reign of the Nazi's in France. I found myself pausing to reflect at some of the poetry in both the films dialogue and moments of brevity.

It's a remarkable work of art and one of the best films i've ever seen. I would ignore the critics in major publications giving this middling reviews. It reflects a wider problem in the reviews of films where the majority are white men (Analysis of reviews of top releases found that only 22.2% were written by women, with 82% of critics white). It's therefore unsurprising that, many white critics were not blown away by a film that shows a mosque as a hub of solidarity and where no white saviour is present.

FREE MEN was just screened to a sold-out crowd at the Rendez-vous with French Cinema in New York. It was a wonderfully acted, well told fictional film of Arabs helping resistance fighters (including North African Jews) during the German occupation of France during WW2.

Dramatic and suspenseful, pitting collaborators versus resistance fighters, gestapo officials versus the authorities at a mosque.

Given the ethnic tensions in Paris today, this film offers an alternate vision of unity in the face of oppression.

Definitely worth seeing on the festival circuit or in art house release.