Le Grand Détour (1968): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1968, Le Grand Détour is a drama film directed by Ahmed Bedjaoui, running about 47 minutes.

What it’s about. The young Amar, father of two children, lives on expedients and looks in vain for a job in Algiers. He decides to emigrate to France, and finds a job there, but quickly loses it after a roundup and custody for several days. Led by two shady Europeans he met in a café, he embarks with other unemployed people for well-paid work on the plantations of Madagascar. The boat that takes them finally docks in Algiers! This film had disappeared for almost fifty years. Ahmed Bedjaoui mourned it until the Berlin Cinematheque found the only copy of this work in its archives, restored it, subtitled it and screened it at the opening of its festival in 2015. The film was thrilled the large audience present, made up of professionals and knowledgeable film buffs. Due to the modesty of its self-produced means, but also by aesthetic choice, the film oscillates between neo-realist cinema and cinema vérité.

How it landed. With an audience score of 10.0/10, Le Grand Détour sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Le Grand Détour page.

If you liked it. Fans of Le Grand Détour tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.