Today’s Cinema Scene will be presented in French, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Halo, gracious viewers, and welcome to Cinema Scene. Today, we explore three films from France that highlight the special relationships in families: “Bambou,” “Michou d’Auber,” and “The Great Voyage.”

Our first feature is “Bambou,” a 2009 comedy film directed by and starring César Award-winning Didier Bourdon, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The movie follows a couple, Alain, played by Didier Bourdon, and Anna, played by Anne Consigny, and what happens when a canine companion enters their lives.

At the beginning of the film, Alain, a skilled bank executive, wishes to be a father, but his wife, Anna, has other ambitions in life and does not wish to have to look after a child at home.

Everything changes when Anna and Alain bring home a cocker spaniel named Bambou. Alain is reluctant and tries many ways to get rid of their new four-legged housemate, who is rather mischievous. As Anna’s new position requires her to work a lot and be away from home, he is often left to look after the canine himself. Eventually, more tensions arise between the couple

Suddenly, Alain finds himself in the company of Bambou, who he does not even get along with. Alain must now learn how to properly care for the dog on a daily basis.

As he spends more time with Bambou and his love and understanding grow for his furry companion. Alain realizes that Bambou has much more to offer him than he had ever expected and may serve as the key to help him reunite with Anna. Lighthearted and endearing, “Bambou” is a fun film about the invaluable friendship and loyalty offered by our animal companions.

Let us now take a look at “Michou d’Auber.” The 2007 production was directed by César-nominated Thomas Gilou, who co-wrote the film with Jean Cosmos and Messaoud Hattau, whose childhood serves as the inspiration for the story. The movie takes us back to the early sixties in France, where we meet an Algerian immigrant’s family. One of his sons and the main character is Massaoud, played by Samy Seghir.

Luck is not going his way, however, for his mother is hospitalized, and his father has a job at a factory that requires all his time and effort. The father is thus forced to place Massaoud and his brother, Abdel, played by Medy Kerouani, in an orphanage. We also meet a couple from the countryside, Georges, played by Oscar-nominated Gérard Depardieu, and his wife Gisèle, played by César Award-winning Nathalie Baye.

Georges, a military veteran, is still haunted by memories of his service, and thus regards every Muslim with distrust. Gisèle is an experienced foster mother and longs to have children of her own. At the orphanage, the siblings are sent to separate foster families. Massaoud is assigned to Gisèle. Afraid that the community and especially her husband will discriminate against Massaoud, the boy’s foster mom works to transform his appearance. Gisèle bleaches his hair and changes his name to Michou d’Auber,

Little Michou must now adjust to a completely new life.

At home, Georges, who completely believes the boy’s new identity, sets out to educate Michou in everything French – France’s grand traditions of language, patriotism, etc.

As a loving relationship develops between Michou, Georges, and Gisèle, the couple finds that Michou may have a much more rewarding and nurturing influence to the harmony and values of the household than they could ever have anticipated. As the three embark on this new chapter of their life, Abdel locates Michou and wants his brother to join him in returning to their own family. Poignant yet full of humor, “Michou d’Auber” is a meaningful film on tolerance, understanding, and unconditional love.

Our final feature today is the 2004 French family drama “The Great Voyage,” written and directed by French-Moroccan Ismaël Ferroukhi.

“The Great Voyage” was nominated for the 2006 BAFTA Film Award for Best Film not in the English Language.

Set in southern France, we meet a traditional Muslim father, played by Mohamed Majd, and his second born son Reda, played by César Award-nominated Nicolas Cazalé.

One day, Reda’s father announces that this is the year in which he must embark on the Hajj, the holy journey to Mecca. Unwilling to fly there by plane, he informs Reda that he must drive him there. Reda is far from happy; he has been looking forward to taking his school exams and does not want to leave his secret girlfriend.

On their trip, both travelers are silent most of time. Completely absorbed in his life as a teenager in Western Europe, Reda only speaks French, while his father, wishing to rekindle his son’s connection with his culture and language, talks to him in Arabic only. Reda is impatient at his father’s strict adherence to Muslim prayer, without any regard to the location and inconvenience it may cause.

While Reda wants to explore the famous cities as they pass, his dad tells him that tourism is not the purpose of their journey.

Gradually, they open themselves up and learn more about each other.

Reda’s respect for his father’s spiritual sincerity and wisdom begins to grow. He also begins to take note of his father’s subtle and patient acts of love toward him.

With exceptional performances from the cast, “The Great Voyage” is a moving film on how an epic journey unites the hearts and souls of a father and son. The film also successfully gives beautiful insight into the Islamic tradition of the Hajj pilgrimage.

“Bambou,” “Michou d’Auber,” and “The Great Voyage” are three fantastic French movies on the importance of nurturing the loving relationships between our family members.

It was a pleasure having your company for today’s Cinema Scene. Now, please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, coming up next after Noteworthy News. May Heaven’s boundless blessings fill you and your loved ones with faith and compassion.