Les émeutes

There has been much talk about poverty and poor parenting being the cause of the riots in London and other cities in the UK but how often do we truly get to find out what it feels like to be on the receiving end of grinding poverty and parenting which takes place in an environment of low paid degrading work.  Faïza Guène's low key but compelling Kiffe Kiffe Demain (see alevelfrench.com resources at www.kiffekiffedemain.com ) really rubs in our face the humiliation that those on the receiving end of state handouts and charity feel.   Guène reserves a particular contempt for those who give to charity so that they can really rub this in the faces of the recipients.    Doria, Guène's heroine lets her adolescence run its course and she finally comes to see that love will help her face most of life's battles and that actually, although humiliating, the welfare state's assistance was very helpful particularly to her mother.

The feminine side of the banlieue issues is a welcome contrast with the more aggressive masculine side seen through films such as La haine.