17/03/2015 - Fatsah Bouyahmed, Jamel Debbouzze and Lambert Wilson are among the cast of the filmmaker’s second feature, produced by Quad Productions

Mohamed Hamidi during the shoot for his last film, Homeland

The shoot will get under way in Marseille at the end of March for the second feature by Mohamed Hamidi: La vache [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (lit. “The Cow”). Having risen to fame in 2013 with Homeland [+see also:
trailer
film profile], this time around the director is trying his hand at a road movie, a rite-of-passage journey across France, which will also be a comedy set against a socio-political backdrop. The cast includes Fatsah Bouyahmed (who appeared in De l'huile sur le feu [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Les Kaïra [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), the extremely popular Jamel Debbouzze (nominated for the César Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2002 and 2003 for Amélie [+see also:
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film profile] and Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, winner of the Best Actor Award at Cannes in 2006 for Days of Glory [+see also:
film review
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interview: Jean Bréhat
interview: Rachid Bouchareb
film profile], and set to appear on screens from 8 April in Why I Did (Not) Eat My Father [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Lambert Wilson (nominated for the César Award for Best Actor in 2011 for Of Gods and Men [+see also:
film review
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interview: Xavier Beauvois
film profile], popular over the last few years in such titles as Cycling with Moliere [+see also:
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film profile] and The Princess of Montpensier [+see also:
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film profile], and due to be the master of ceremonies at the upcoming Cannes Festival, just as he was in 2014).

Written by Mohamed Hamidi together with Alain-Michel Blanc (winner of the César Award for Best Screenplay in 2006 for Live and Become [+see also:
film review
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interview: Denis Carot
interview: Didar Domehri
interview: Radu Mihaileanu
film profile] and nominated in 2010 for The Concert [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Radu Mihaileanu
film profile]) and Fatsah Bouyahmed, the story of La vache revolves around Fatah, a simple and good-natured man, just as his father was, which results in him having to suffer all sorts of ridicule in his village in Algeria. Even though he loves his wife and his two little girls with all his heart, the only one he truly feels is his soul mate is his cow, Jacqueline. She is the most beautiful one, the most unique one, and Fatah dreams of only one thing… taking her to compete at the Agricultural Show in Paris! Fatah sets off on foot with his cow, traipsing along the roads of France, looking to meet people and in search of dignity, both of which he will come across during his trek. La vache is a rite-of-passage journey across France, progressing at the pace of this man who sees and unlocks the good in every one of us. The plot follows in the same vein as The Cow and I by Henri Verneuil (1959, starring Fernandel in the lead role).

Produced by Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Yann Zenou and Laurent Zeitoun for Quad Productions (a company that has titles such as Untouchable [+see also:
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film profile], Heartbreaker [+see also:
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making of
film profile] and Samba [+see also:
trailer
film profile] to its credit), Kissfilms and Mitico, La vache is benefiting from a co-production by Agora Films (Morocco), among others. The shoot will continue until the end of May in Marseille, Paris, Bordeaux and Morocco, with Elin Kirschfink (Hope [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Boris Lojkine
film profile]) serving as DoP.

(Translated from French)