illegal (illégal) 2010 region free dvd5 french bcbc

Illegal (French: Illégal) is a 2010 Belgian drama film directed by Olivier Masset-Depasse. The film was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. The film received eight nominations at the 1st Magritte Awards, and won the awards for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Most Promising Actress. The film is critical of practices of Belgian immigration officers.

Contains movie and Optional English Subtitles. No menus or extras. Regular DVD quality. Thank you.

Spoken Languages: French (some Russian and English)













Synopsis

Olivier Masset-Depasse directs this drama that follows the story of Tania (Anne Coesens) and her teenage son, Ivan (Alexandre Gontcharov), Russian immigrants who are in Belgium illegally. Tania lives in fear of being found out -- and one day, her worst nightmare becomes a reality. During a routine police check, Tania is apprehended -- but she refuses to accept the fact that she'll be deported and separated from her son.



Cast

Anne Coesens, Alexandre Gontcharov, Milo Masset-Depasse, Natalia Belokonskaya, Olga Zhdanova, Tomasz Bialkowski, Denis Dupont, Moktar Belletreche, David Leclercq, Gregory Loffredo



Illegal (French: Illégal) movie review

Author: Pascal Zinken

7 April 2011

The film starts as a young Russian mother is telling her kid to speak French instead of Russian. The reason for this is the fact that she's afraid to be spotted, to be found by the people that want to deport her. She is after all living here (in this case somewhere in the French speaking part of Belgium) illegally. She has requested political asylum but has been denied and is to be deported. The laws are easy. The real implementation of them however is not.



And so starts a film about one of the darker pages of the Western world. Seen from the eyes of a political stowaway that only wants a safe haven for her kid and herself this film shows the fear of the fugitive, makes it so that it can be felt, and plays around her constant battle against a rigid system.



The way the scenes are put together make it lifelike, the way it is acted makes it believable. The way events are displayed in the news almost makes it feel like a documentary. The way things are in the real world outside makes one wonder how far from the truth the film is.



The film leaves a vile taste in the mouth that will stick around for some time after leaving the cinema, an impression that might be permanent. An effect that is gained through the combination of realistic behaviour, excellent acting and compelling story. All in all, a true work of art.