Vivre au Paradis

1961 - 1962. The war in Algeria is at its peak. Lakdar, an Algerian immigrant and workman lives in the shantytowns of Nanterre and can no longer bear living alone, afraid to forget his wife and children who stayed behind in southern Algeria. He finally manages to bring them to France and starts to look for a decent appartment. But the unhealthy atmosphere of the shantytown starts to take its toll. He starts to become one of those people who exploits his countrymen. When he thinks he has reached his goal at the price of multiple betrayals, his dream falls apart when he learrns of his wife Nora's militant activities. The Lakdar family starts to break up, but will be finally saved by the solidarity of the shantytown, just as Algeria celebrates its independence."The story i want to tell is that of thousands of algerian immigrants who came to france in the 501s. What seems important to me today is the memory of these men history has forgotten. S My aim was also to show certain events of that period which were surpressed for too long, such as 17th October, 1961."