Sunday dinner/lunch scene


Did anyone find it odd how they ate? Fingers, food all over the mouth, simply ravenous. I expected Slimane's sons to comment on Rym's eating when she shared a meal with their father. LOL.

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In Arabic culture they say, God's perfect fork - and hold up their hand.

Why do you expect everyone to do the same as your culture?

Arabic food is eaten a lot with your hand. All the food is designed so you can easily eat it with your hand or with bread pieces. The meat is usually into small squares with the bones still in it so you have to remove the bones from your mouth. Eating or being given the marrow is a sign of honor. I think she was eating a pepper and took the stem out or she was removing fish bones.

Go out and eat some Arabic food with your hands and get in touch with your emotions.

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Go out and eat some Arabic food with your hands and get in touch with your emotions.


I'm sorry, but this statement seems a little ridiculous and vague. I am totally understanding of having pride for one's own culture, or intense respect of another culture, but to attach an almost spiritual mystique to any culture's food or eating habits is taking it a bit far. The diner scene was shot with a constant extreme close-up of all the characters faces, and there wasn't just couscous on faces, but gobs of chewed-up food in the mouths of just about everyone that carried on a conversation. That I came to this forum expecting a topic on this, and found one, I believe says a lot.

I don't think anyone is trying to attach these eating habits exclusively to Arabic culture, because anyone that has lived in the US for any amount of time knows that plenty of Americans forget to close their mouths when they chew. The question I have is of the wisdom of filming any culture talking to one another with their mouths full of food, and at such close proximity to the camera. Even with the very probable consideration that many cultures aren't as concerned as ours with chewing with a closed mouth, I would still question the camera placement. This is a problem of film direction, not cultural difference. That's not to say it was a bad scene either, it just had this very distracting quality that I believe took away from the narrative.

This was an otherwise terrific film that had genuinely interesting premise and direction. It had just the right sprinkle of likable/unlikable characters dealing with authentic life problems to feel realistic. I liked the addition of the Caucasian Frenchman in the family that was learning a few words of Arabic here and there. Having married into a different culture myself I felt his mirrored my own situation, and that just made the film feel a hair more personal. I love my extended family, but also appreciate that extra layer that getting to know them culturally has offered me.

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yes... i didn't get it.. why did they have to focus on the mouth full of food.. it was disgusting... really horrible.. no one likes to see a big dirty mouth with foos on the teeths... you usually don't look at that when you see people... they should have focus on the eyes.. i don't know.. or maybe the hands.. whatever.. but not the mouth... i'm pretty sure no one liked it...

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I'm sorry, but this statement seems a little ridiculous and vague. I am totally understanding of having pride for one's own culture, or intense respect of another culture, but to attach an almost spiritual mystique to any culture's food or eating habits is taking it a bit far.
I'm not sure it was meant in the way you have interpreted it. There's something about eating with hands, it's what babies and very young children do, that is tactile and makes eating a very different experience. If the food is good then the use of the hands makes the pleasure more direct than with cutlery.
Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

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First off, I'm African and eating with hands is very common. The difference is their manner of eating. You can eat with your hands and not seem as if you haven't eaten in decades. They had NO table manners.

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That scene was way too long.

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Both these scenes were great. The first because the atmosphere was so convivial. I felt as though I were a guest at the table because of the way it was shot and their good humour as they ate delicious food was infectious. The second scene where Slimane shares couscous with Rym was touching. I loved Rym and watching her enjoy the food was wonderful.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

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