"Complicated Identities" Revisited

Belmont World Film presents “Complicated Identities” Revisited, featuring the New England premiere of Stay With Us on Monday, August 14, at 7:00 PM at Apple Cinemas in Cambridge, as well as encore virtual screenings from August 15-22 of five of the films previously showcased at this year’s International Film Series, “Complicated Identities.” Many films premiered at the world’s major film festivals, such as The Worst Ones, the most recent winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard prize, The Beasts recently won a César Award (the French equivalent of the Oscars).

Directed by and starring Gad Elmaleh, one of France’s most renowned comedians, Stay With Us follows Gad’s character as he embarks on a journey of personal transformation, raising questions about faith, cultural heritage, and the complexities of familial relationships. When he returns home to Paris to visit his Moroccan-born parents—played by his real-life parents—intent on converting from Judaism to Catholicism, he begins a journey that challenges not only his own beliefs, but also the perceptions and expectations of his family. As he navigates the delicate territory of faith, he finds himself caught between his Jewish upbringing and the desire to explore a new spiritual path. Along the way, he encounters a diverse cast of characters who provide insight, support, and comedic relief, each offering their unique perspectives on religion, culture, and personal growth.

The must-see film invites audiences to reconsider their own beliefs, celebrate shared humanity, and embrace the complexities that make us who we are. Rabbi Raysh Weiss of Temple Israel of Natick, who is also a filmmaker, will lead a discussion immediately following the screening. Additional speakers are to be announced.

In addition to Stay With Us, there will also be virtual screenings of five of the films showcased at this year’s International Film Series, each exploring the multi-faceted nature of identity. Films will be available online from Tuesday, August 15, at 7:00 PM through Tuesday, August 22, at 11:59 PM, Once started, viewers will have 72 hours to watch each film; films need to be started no later than 11:59 PM on the 22nd. Film may be watched as many times as desired during the 72-hour period. Recordings of discussions led by expert speakers will also be provided.

Online films include:

The Worst Ones – Four teenagers from a working-class neighborhood in the north of France are selected to act in a feature film during the summer. Winner of the Un Certain Regard prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Farewell Mr. Haffmann (also available online) – After the Nazi occupation of Paris, a talented jeweler, Joseph Haffmann, arranges for his family to flee the city and offers one of his employees the chance to take over his store until the conflict subsides.

Chile ’76 – The life of a bourgeois housewife during Pinochet’s reign in Chile is interrupted when the priest at the church where she does charity work asks her to take care of a young revolutionary–a man he is giving asylum to–who has just been hurt.

The Beasts – A French couple move to a small village in Galicia in order to practice ecologically responsible agriculture and to restore abandoned houses and to facilitate the town’s re-population.

Peaceful – Catherine Deneuve, Benoit Magimel, and Cécile de France star in this film about an unconventional oncologist and a reluctant patient.

The festival is funded by generous grants from the Mass Cultural Council, at state agency.