La vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus)
France 1997, 96 mins, colour
Director: Bruno Dumont With: David Douche, Marjorie Cottreel, Kader Chaatouf
French with English subtitles

La vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) is the debut feature film by French director Bruno Dumont. Released in 1997, it was one of the most critically praised French films of the 90s, winning the prestigious Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and European Discovery of the Year at the European Film Awards.

Freddy (played by non-professional actor David Douche in an astonishing performance) is a twenty year old epileptic. Unemployed, he and his friends try to pass away the time by wandering around on their motorcycles in their home town of Bailleul in Flanders, and by directing their aggressive feelings towards Arabic immigrants. Freddy is in love with Marie (Marjorie Cottreel), a cashier at a local supermarket. When Kader, a young Arab man, flirts with her, Freddy and his friends decide to punish Kader for what they deem to be a strong provocation.

Film review in Variety (English)

The Franco-German Film Series is presented by Alliance Française and Goethe-Institut Glasgow on a monthly basis between March and July 2014 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the cohabitation of both cultural institutions in Glasgow.