Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran (2003)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

François Dupeyron

Writers:

François Dupeyron (writer)
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt (novel)

Release Date:

17 September 2003 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In Paris, a Turkish shop owner befriends a Jewish boy in his mid-teens.

Plot Keywords:

First Love | Film Production | Jew | Prostitution | Nouvelle Vogue

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Omar Sharif	...	Monsieur Ibrahim
Pierre Boulanger	...	Momo
Gilbert Melki	...	Le père de Momo
Isabelle Renauld	...	La mère de Momo
Lola Naymark	...	Myriam
Anne Suarez	...	Sylvie
Mata Gabin	...	Fatou
Céline Samie	...	Eva
Isabelle Adjani	...	La star
Guillaume Gallienne	...	Le vendeur voiture
Guillaume Rannou	...	Le realisateur
Manuel Le Lièvre	...	Le moniteur auto-école (as Manuel Lelièvre)
Daniel Znyk	...	Le gendarme
Françoise Armelle	...	La maitresse d'école
Sylvie Herbert	...	L'eximinateur

Also Known As:

Momo (France) (working title)
Monsieur Ibrahim (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content.

Runtime:

Canada:94 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:95 min | Argentina:96 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | Turkish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Taiwan:R-12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Hungary:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-11 | Germany:6 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Company:

ARP Sélection

Quotes:

Monsieur Ibrahim: They spin around their hearts because God is there.

Movie Connections:

References Le mépris (1963)

Soundtrack:

Wooly Bully

Witty, melancholic, funny, full of love and life

Seldom do I buy the book because I saw the movie. I did this time around and the book is even better than the movie albeit a bit too short, although throughout the book, you will always see Omar Sharif as Ibrahim.

I went to see this without knowing too much about it and from the very beginning it succeeded in drawing me right into Rue Bleu, it was as if I could almost smell it, feel it, touch it. Why? Because we care for the characters, we feel with them, through them. Omar Sharif is just stellar as Monsieur Ibrahim and carries the story with such an ease that it is a delight to watch.

One of the most powerful scenes for me was when Ibrahim confronts Momo about the stealing. There are more but I do not want to spoil it for you. "Ibrahim" is an emotional journey that you have to be willing to make. If you do you will be well rewarded.

Highly recommendable. 9/10