17, rue Bleue (2001)

Overview

17, rue Bleue is an autobiographical drama about an Algerian immigrant's self-destruction in Paris. In it, director Chad Chenouga recounts how his mother, Adda, came to France as an illegal alien, hoping to escape the haunting secrets of her native land, and seeking a new life of wealth. When Adda falls in love with her employer, a wealthy Parisian named Merlin, she believes her fortune is within reach. But troubles begin when Merlin suddenly dies, leaving behind no clear will. Adda, believing in the Algerian superstition that a beauty mark on her son's hand signifies great wealth to come, throws herself into a losing court battle to win Merlin's estate. As legal defeats mount up, Adda turns to drugs, driving away friends and family members, until she's left with only her son, Chad. When he turns 16, his mother dies from her many years of drug abuse.