BeSummers Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

aFrenchparadox If you happen to like Flamenco music and/or North-African music, you will enjoy this film just for this. I happen to like both and found myself watching at 10-minutes-long scenes of just music and dance without being bored and being on the contrary fascinated (the Gnawa trance scene is properly amazing). Some lines of the scenario could have been developed though. The two characters are both going to Algeria looking for their roots. But she's the daughter of an Algerian whereas he's the son of two French who used to live in Algeria when it was still French. And despite this he seems to be the one feeling the most at home when they finally reach Algeria. Highlighting that identity is not about genes, but a social construct emerging from education, familial history and personal history (at the very least). Highlighting also the difficulty of being between two cultures, and the difficulty of being always sent back to a culture people ascribe to you because of your biological roots, putting you in a box doing so. Anyway this is something just showing on the surface briefly. I am not sure Gatlif was intending to explore this, I feel rather that the principal character of the film is music, especially when I remind myself that Gatlif also wrote the soundtrack. However if he wasn't intending it, this would be somewhat more remarkable, because we could assume Gatlif's subconscious is expressing itself here, the director being himself a former French of Algeria. But this would be exactly what is problematic in how the feminine character is welcomed: assigning feelings according to origins, without knowing anything of the person's history. So I won't assume this and will stay on the great feeling left by the trance scene: fascinated. And will consider definitely that music is the hero here, because music originating long ago like Flamenco and Gnawa is far more than entertainment and can even be a catharsis tool.

Serhat Koç at first i thought that it was not a good idea to see this film.And after watching it at a film festival in Ankara.I agreed that it's not a bad movie but has some good moments. But i can even cannot understand how Gatlif could achieve best director award at Cannes with this one? because there is no such points that directing shines in this one.But acting is just fine and using the music is the key for the film.this film is not for every moviegoer,however it speaks about north Africa-french connection.and especially the people have great grip to life with music and traveling,finding their real path.but in fact the movie lacks of some special elements for being a perfect one tells the story of exiles i think.when the credits are shown you think that is it enough?where is the plot anyway.i can say no more about this one.i say you that you can go and consider that it touches your feelings for yourself.

anmarika ...just commenting on the bit where you mention porno flicks - I didn't have the same take on the situation in this regard. My impression is NOT that they were actual porn actors, but that Zano is basically accusing Naima of being a bit of a slut and to insult her he says "where did you learn to f^&* anyway?" to which she replies, "I learned from porn films like you!". The story alludes to the fact that Naima has had a bit of a rough life so far and this may be why she has issues with intimacy leading to promiscuity. Also, the story also hints that Zano and Naima haven't known each that long before they decide to go on this road trip-hence some of the conversations the couple have to find out more.

Marcin Kukuczka I saw EXILS in the Polish cinema recently as a part of the sequence "psycho vibrations" with a group of students. After the movie, we had a little chat together with the organizer of the meeting. Most of us agreed that the movie by Tony Gatlif is different than most of the films we see nowadays. Although EXILS is in no way outstanding, there are some aspects worth mentioning, the things that make it a must see for open minded viewers but, at the same time, it may be a huge moral spoiler.Music is, I think, the most important aspect that needs to be mentioned. The viewer is supplied with a wonderful musical experience throughout the whole movie, is provided with the experience of various sorts of music, from Techno through Flamenco, yet to the Algerian trance. As a result, you, in a sense, take part in the experience that the main characters, real music lovers, get through. You watch the movie and let yourself be drown into the perfect music. The most intense experience moment is when they dance in Algeria, the trance is becoming more and more intensified at every single second. It very much affects the audience.Besides, the movie quite accurately presents the reality of immigrants, the problems they have to cope with, and the culture clash. Although the emphasis is drawn to a couple, Naima (Lubna Azabal) and Zano (Romain Duris), the major topic of their plot is being on the way from France to Algieria in order to find origins. On their way, they meet various people, most of them are immigrants who left their homelands in the hope for a better life. They are like the violin masoned in the wall, as it is showed in a symbolic scene when Zano masons his violin. In this case, the film seems to be a voice for the ignored but this message is not so clearly noticeable.SPOILER: Stereotypically perhaps, due to the fact that EXILS is a French movie, there must be some nudity, which is a serious moral spoiler. But people who overdo with Puritan blame directed towards any sex scenes will not find much accusation in EXILS. There are very few moments that openly show naked Naima and Zano. Some are not appropriate and disturbing, like the first shot of the movie, but some are not that bad. For example, the scene when they are making love in the garden is fairly well made, it is not vulgar but totally filled with sexuality directing our attention to the pleasure of the couple. And, moreover, I found apples pretty symbolic in this scene.SPOILER: The movie, however, does not make much use of the locations and landscapes that the main characters visit. It is only said that they are in Spain but hardly anything is showed. There is only a landscape of Andalusian territories noticeable as Naima and Zano are traveling by train and a moment look at Paris, but that is it. Therefore, it is not true that you will have a chance to admire various places in this movie.SPOILER: And the content of the movie does not have much to offer. It is an attempt to show the life without any more profound sense, without any spirituality. The only "god" for the main characters is music. Consider how Zano replies to the question of a Muslim who is keen on their religion - "My religion is music". Therefore, EXILS does not show life as a moral value whatsoever. It appears to be nothing more than time spent on realizing loose habits, fulfilling sexual desires, and listening to music as the best relaxation. As a result, the life of main characters is not that much an individual freedom any longer but moves towards sheer anarchy.Nevertheless, the whole movie is worth seeing as a different look at values and at filming convention. Although it is not a memorable movie in general, some moments may remain in memory. We are all hidden in this world like the violin masoned in the wall. The gist is to find the sense of life and what the sense will be depends entirely on every individual. And a must for music lovers! 6/10!