Welcome

WELCOME (2009, in English, French and Kurdish, 112 minutes) is a poignant, harsh look at the plight of the Iraqi Kurds trying to enter England. The Kurdish people have always fascinated me: they are a Fourth World people. Stupid to describe such people as "World" since it means a culture that has no home country or even home state. I think the Kurds along with the Tibetans are the only Fourth World people on earth at the moment - but I could be wrong.

Handsome 17-year-old Bilal Kayani (Firat Ayverdi) has walked 4,000 kilometers to France, so he can get to England and his girlfriend Mina (Derya Ayverdi), who is living there with her family. He is ready to marry her no matter what.

Basset-hound-handsome Vincent Lindon plays grizzled French swim coach Simon Calmet (character wrongly spelled "Calmat" in listed credits, spelled "Calmet" in film and subtitles). One day Bilal shows up at the pool to take lessons from Simon. He plans to swim the Channel to get to England and Mina.

Simon, rapidly growing fond of this son he never had, takes Bilal under his wing and agrees to train him to swim the Channel. France has very fascistic laws against these illegals, and there is a lot of prejudice from the French people. Simon gets a lot of flak for "harboring" Bilal; he is eventually accused of having a relationship with him (so, the French admit the temptation is there even though they regard these poor people as insects). The truth is Bilal becomes very much like a son to Simon.

Bilal makes a break for it, swims the channel and drowns. Simon is informed and before you know it, everyone is attending poor, sweet Bilal's funeral. This whole twist in the story made me sad and angry. It reminded me of deeply beloved friends I have buried, and also made me think of how we should treat people who are in a terrible bind - as opposed to the way we usually treat them.

This award-winning, highly praised film is probably going to be viewed by the average American as retread. I didn't see it that way, but then I fell in love with Firat Ayverdi which was probably the general idea. It does have the slow, quiet pace and general lack of soundtrack one should expect from good European film. The performances are understated, exquisite in general and very moving in places. I think viewers will be impressed by both Firat Ayverdi (this is his 1st and only film thus far) and Vincent Lindon.

We don't get these brilliant gems in America too often and it is a miracle anyone cares enough to release them on DVD. I've had it with this, but it doesn't look like it'll change anytime soon. Americans need some lessons in compassion toward illegal immigrants fleeing horrible situations - and this film accomplishes that.

A small film, "Welcome" provokes big questions in telling the story of Bilal, a seventeen-year-old Kurdish youth who, for all his exceptional drive, typifies the heartbreaking lot of Europe's illegal population. It's a movie of low-key but powerful gesture -- swimming instructor Simon's acts of decency earn him no accolades from those around him, only their incomprehension, even hostility. That's a face of heroism far removed from Hollywood cliche, and it's all the more persuasive and moving as a result. I don't wish to spoil for others the ending of this fine film by saying more, but certainly one walks away from "Welcome" overwhelmed by the tragic waste of human life and aspiration generated by Europe's inflexible immigration system. Of course much the same could be said about things here in the USA, but that's another story for another time.

Philippe Lioret has written (with Emmanuel Courcol, Olivier Adam, and Serge Frydman) and directed this touching and compelling story of the trials of immigrants attempting to escape war-torn Iraq, reminding us of yet another aspect of the brutality of war. Titled WELCOME, it is anything but, as it demonstrates the averse feelings of the European countries to the plight of immigrants. This is a solid, well written and sculpted story that in the hands of a small cast of excellent actors reaches for the heart of the viewer and finds it.

Simon Calmat (Vincent Lindon) is a French swimming coach in the painful period of signing divorce papers from his wife Marion (Audrey Dana), a socially impassioned woman who serves at the food kitchen in Calais, France, providing nourishment and support for homeless immigrants. Simon discovers a young Kurdish illegal immigrant from Mosul, Iraq, Bilal Kayani (Firat Ayverdi), who has endured torture form the Turks who force him to wear a black sack over his head for an extended period of time until he escapes. In Calais he pays 500 Euros and joins with a group of fellow asylum seekers in an attempt to be smuggled by truck through the English Channel Tunnel, but his memory of the hood experience has made him terrified of wearing the plastic bag over his head required of the 'clandestines' when crossing the borders to avoid the CO2 detectors used by the guards. Bilal's dream is to cross into England where his girlfriend Mina (Derya Ayverdi, Firat's real life sister!) waits, attempting to avoid an arranged marriage her father demands. Largely due to Bilal's inability to keep the plastic bag over his head during the attempted escape, the immigrants are captured and returned to France. It is then that Simon sees him on the street and befriends him, not only accepting him as a swimming pupil (Balil's dream is to swim across the English Channel for Mina) but also sharing his home and food with him. Bilal is polite and grateful and a bond forms between the lonely Simon and Bilal. A nosey neighbor exposes Simon as an illegal alien protector and Bilal runs away to protect Simon's reputation. Knowing that Bilal is determined to swim the English Channel Simon helps as best he can, but the film ends in a surprise that affects everyone who has been involved with the act of humanity to an illegal immigrant.

Vincent Lindon is brilliant as the newly compassionate Simon, and Firat Ayverdi is a very fine new actor who should enjoy a successful future in films: he simply has it all - looks, screen presence, and acting ability. One aspect of the film that makes it so very powerful is the manner in which Loiret explores the souls of Bilal and his wary protector Simon: WELCOME unveils a world of overwhelming forces, both natural and social, that examine the waters of history, forces that may be resisted, but they will not be stopped. This is a film that should be considered imperative watching for every member of society. Grady Harp, April 11

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 12 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars