Ali, a young Moroccan student, arrives to study in France and has to stay with his cousin Mo for a few days before starting university. He will not land in the Paris of his dreams but in the suburb of Clichy-Montfermeil in Seine-Saint-Denis. Disillusionment will give way to beautiful, touching and singular encounters in the heart of a neighborhood with great diversity.
Acting
Bellamine's deadpan wonder against Walid's weary warmth.
Direction
Chikri packs a feature's worth of heart into 19 tight minutes.
Director
Bilel Chikri
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Clichy-Montfermeil is the same suburb where Ladj Ly shot 'Les Misérables' — but Chikri finds tenderness where others found only tension.
The title 'Narvalos' is French-Arabic street slang for 'crazy/weird' — Ali's journey is literally learning to speak the local language of survival.