ALIMENTATION GÉNÉRALE / THE GENERAL STORE
Director: Chantal Briet / France 2005
Category: Creative Documentary
Production: Ludovic Arnal: Yenta Production/Arsenal Productions
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Length: 84 minutes
Elegant vérité-style documentary gracefully explores the quotidian lives in an immigrant-heavy Parisian suburb, Epinay-sur-Seine, taking us into the everyday life of a small grocery store. Customers arrive, one after the other, under the happy gaze of Ali, the charismatic owner. There is the old lady with the dog, the unemployed philosopher, the youngster who dance hip hop and the kids who want candies. The film shows us the importance of the small shop “around the corner”: a space, where you can find human warmth, laughter and conviviality in spite of the difficult conditions.