Mayrig & 588 Paradise Street Prestige Edition

  
In 1921, Azad Zakarian was seven years old when he arrived with his parents and two aunts in Marseille, leaving behind the horrors of the Armenian genocide. Despite the difficulties, this wounded family would do everything in their power to succeed in their integration. Henri Verneuil, born Achod Malakian, dedicated 50 years of his life to this saga that began in 1992. The second part was made in 1993. The filmmaker, who had not directed since 1984, adapted his own quasi-autobiographical novel. In Armenian, he spared no expense to stage this superproduction, which was considered at the time to be the most expensive in the history of French cinema.

With a prestigious cast (Omar Sharif, Claudia Cardinale, Nathalie Roussel, Richard Berry, Patrick Timsit, Zabou), this family chronicle pays tribute to the Armenian people as well as to all emigrants grappling with the challenges of integration. Although the pronounced melodramatic aspect and the abundance of good sentiments do not always work in favor of the two films, the value of the testimony is indisputable. While it may not be the best, this saga stands out as the most personal work of a remarkable filmmaker.