Les soeurs Hamlet

At long last, the two Hamlet sisters are allowed to go to Paris by themselves, and the discotheque they have heard about beckons. When the driver for their ride home becomes too drunk to drive, they cannot reach their mother by phone, and it is too late to take the last train back to where they live, they are stranded in town. The girls, who are themselves partly of Algerian descent, are accosted by a disreputable looking older Algerian immigrant, who tries to give them cash so that they can take a taxi back to their homes. They are afraid of him and try to get away from him. He apparently accepts this, but trails them without calling attention to himself. It is good that he does, for they soon run into real trouble, and then they find out that despite his frightening appearance, he means them well.

Directed by Abdelkrim Bahloul, Les soeurs Hamlet leans on a strong ensemble — Emilie Altmayer, Bérénice Bejo, Colette Nucci — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1998.