Michou d'Auber

Set in France in the early 1960s, during the Algerian war of independence, the film follows Messaoud, a nine-year-old boy from Aubervilliers whose mother is seriously ill. Because his father works long hours in a factory and cannot care for him, Messaoud and his older brother Abdel are placed in care. While Abdel is sent to work on a farm, Messaoud is taken in by Gisèle, a woman in a village in the Berry region who has long wanted a child. Her husband Georges is a former soldier with strong nationalist views, so Gisèle hides the boy's Algerian origins from him and from the villagers. Renamed Michel, or Michou, and with his hair dyed blond, he gradually wins the affection of both foster parents, though the deception Gisèle maintains threatens the new life they have built.

Thomas Gilou directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Jean Cosmos and Massoud Hattou. The film is Gilou's third feature, following Would I Lie to You? in 1997 and its sequel in 2001. Gérard Depardieu plays Georges and Nathalie Baye plays Gisèle, with Mathieu Amalric as Jacques and Samy Seghir as Messaoud. Philippe Nahon and Catherine Hiegel appear in supporting roles. Released in France in February 2007 and running just over two hours, the film took about 8 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds a 6.6 rating from 856 votes, while on TMDB it has a 6.4 from 80 votes, indicating a modest but consistent reception from viewers.