Fatou la Malienne

Last night, this movie was on TV5, the French cable channel. I sort of half watched it at first, finding it mildly entertaining, kind of a window on what life must be like for Fatou, a young lady of African heritage living in Paris, caught between the culture and traditions of her immigrant parents and her own aspirations of becoming a hip London hairdresser. In a very subtle way, a young man from Mali is introduced, and he tries to sweep Fatou off her feet, using a traditional "French" approach. When that doesn't work, the young man resorts to more traditional means. That's when the movie suddenly stopped being lightly entertaining and became extremely interesting and provocative, to say the least. The movie has the feel of a low budget movie but that works well for it, often helping it along and giving it a "cinema verite" feel. This movie will be of particular interest to people who, like Fatou, are caught between multiple cultures.

When we meet Fatou, she is a beautiful, lively Parisian girl who is turning 18 and finishing high school. She works part-time at a hair salon and dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Fatou was born in Paris and has never been to Africa from where her parents came decades before.

At the family dinner table, the conversation turns to Fatou's post-graduation plans. She is ready to face the world, but she is told that she is not mature until she is married. Before she knows it, a husband (a cousin) is found and preparations are made for the wedding. When Fatou finds out that her marriage is arranged, she objects. However, the wheels of African tradition are in motion and cannot be stopped simply because Fatou is not ready yet. This is the set up for a heart-wrenching clash of cultures.

This film works because Fatou is fresh and full of life. She is completely believable. Meanwhile, her extended family expresses African traditions in the Parisian setting with firm conviction, colour and joy. Finally, the story works because the designated husband is not a bad person as such. From his point of view, he is exercising his traditional rights. There are some scenes that make one wonder about the value of tradition.

The film falls apart in the final ten minutes as it searches for an unlikely happy end. Fatou's predicament is not unusual in today's increasingly multi-racial and multi- cultural Europe. There are countless stories of young women caught between the requirements of family tradition and honour, and their own dreams and aspirations. All too often, they end unhappily or even tragically. Fatou presents the problem in a way that really makes one think.

Warning: Fatou and her girlfriends speak Parisian slang that would be a challenge for anyone not fluent in French.