My English Cousin

Invited
Born and raised in Algeria, Fahed left for England as a young man looking to carve a better life for himself. Now, nearly 20 years later, he is trying to decide whether to return to Algeria or remain in England. Director Karim Sayad’s carefully crafted document meticulously navigates the spaces of immigration, acclimatization, and separation through the daily experiences of Fahed, his cousin. Sayad capitalizes on their close relationship, and Fahed’s ease in front of a camera directed by family is clearly evident. We meet Fahed by way of an extreme long shot as he walks to work down a lonely street on a gray morning in Grimsby. The Specials’ tune “Ghost Town” provides an arresting soundtrack to this scene, effectively punctuating Fahed’s stride while underscoring his current state of limbo acutely tinctured with loneliness. Fahed finds himself caught—between Algeria and Grimsby, between marrying and remaining single, between a seemingly endless monotonous daily schedule and really living. WFM
Director
Karim Sayad
Producer
Joëlle Bertossa
Editor
Naïma Bachiri
Cinematographer
Patrick Tresch
Release Year
2019
Festival Year
2020
Country
Switzerland
Run Time
82 minutes
Subtitled
Partially subtitled