In this compelling and captivating film inspired by true events, the setting is Paris during the Nazi occupation in 1942. Younes (Tahar Rahim) is an Algerian immigrant who is barely scraping by selling black market items such as cigarettes and tea. He sends most of the little money he makes back home to his family. When the Nazis do a sweep of buildings looking for Jews, Younes' goods are discovered and he is arrested.

The head of the police offers to let him off if he will spy for them at the Mosque of Paris, reporting on any newcomers or suspicious people. The officials believe that the spiritual leader there, Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit (Michael Lonsdale), even though he maintains cordial relations with high-ranking Nazi officials, is involved in providing Jews with false identification papers that identify them as Muslim. When Younes is befriended by Salim Halali (Mahmoud Shalaby), a talented Jewish Algerian singer, his eyes are opened to the plight of Jews in the city. He also is attracted to Leila (Lubna Azabal), a beautiful woman staying at the mosque who is involved in anti-Nazi activities. But the real clincher for Younes is his cousin Ali's (Farid Larbi) participation in the French Resistance movement.

Director Ismael Ferroukhi does a masterful job showing the young immigrant's slow but steady transformation into a freedom fighter. Younes puts his life on the line to save two Jewish children among others hiding out in the mosque's basement. The film is based on true events — the Muslim community in the mosque saved more than 100 Jews from certain death. We need many more films like this that show how Muslims and Jews have protected each other during times of oppression, models for those trying to do the same today.


Special features on the DVD include a short film: Lustig by John Francis Black II.