Film Review: 'Tar Angel', A Canadian Film by Denis Chouinard: Love that Begets Immortality

By Fitsum G.

May 3, 2006

'Tar Angel' (or in French L'ange de goudron), was premiered here in Addis at the Alliance Ethio-Française (in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy) on April 19, 2006. The director and script writer of the film, Canadian Denis Chouinard made the film in 2001 basing it on the toil of an Algerian family who fled the violence and repression at home in the early nineties to pursue a dream of freedom and peace in the cherished land of Canada. {In a way, it is a sequel to or an additional chapter of the other famous film by the same director (with Nicolas Wadimoff) called Stowaways, 'Clandestins', the tragic odyssey of East European and North African immigrants in a container, trying to cross the Atlantic to Canada}. 'Tar Angel' is both a story of love as well as one of courage and determination. But it is also an honest story told from the perspective of the immigrant (who specially if Arab or of North African origin suffers from certain bias). But above all it is an expression of honesty and integrity of an award winning film director, trying to magnify with a focus on a burning social issue that to date seems not to be addressed anywhere in the world, including Canada. And despite certain factual errors that might appear on the film, (forced deportation and beatings to death are almost unheard of in Canada, but do happen in many other countries, yes and such hyperboles are meant to sensitize people...) it helps initiate a genuine discussion on the issue of why, who, where and when of immigration.

Primarily, 'Tar Angel' shows you the life of an immigrant's family (never a bed of roses, full of anxieties), even when in the majority of cases it might later be crowned with glowing success, (provided massive perseverance motivates it). The sacrifice paid could be fatal when it is not limited to a blow to one's pride, integrity and honour. In fact, we often hear that the success of both Canadian and US societies is based on the hard work and immense sacrifice paid by immigrants who fled their countries' persecution and misery, centuries earlier, and settled there to conduct a totally new life in a totally new environment giving birth to new and stronger generations. Canada may be one of the best ten, (perhaps the best three places) where to live, in terms of a decent standard of life by all parameters, but Chouinard asserts there is and should always be room and manner for improvement. And if there are things to review, we should say it, unveil it, and try to add value and helping activate change. Denying it would only be tantamount to defeatism, defensivism , and hence thwart progress, Chouinard argues! A society that is not dynamic, in continuous transforming mood, and spirit, is bound to regress, to fade to mediocrity. And this is what any artist's psyche would rebel against, or prevent from materializing inertly.

Many might criticize the director of 'Tar Angel' for portraying a Canada that is 'unusual': rough or not so comfortable, and in many cases, negative for new immigrants, not matching with the kind of society that the Canadian Foreign Office or its public diplomacy branch would like us to perceive, (not matching the image of opulent and free Canada with ample opportunities for every one, where human rights seem a sanctity.). This latter image of Canada may be the one widely perceived and absorbed, also thanks to the good work done by these establishments. Besides, some are also images that are confirmed by people who have visited the country. However, 'Tar Angel' would like to focus on a little known or publicized facet of the country that, in the opinion of the filmmaker, may need to be reviewed. The director's expectations seem very high. And apparently it is because in a way there is a sort of shared opinion between the director and the Canadian authorities that Canada itself has agreed to co-sponsor the film! This to a great extent would go to confirming that Canada is an open society, not reluctant to accept criticism.

Beyond criticizing the film, however, some Canadian diplomats might even have fancied to have it banned, on the ground that it 'distorted' the fine image of the country they love. But distorting the image of Canada is not exactly the intention nor the objective of the director. On the contrary. Denis Chouinard, in the session of question and answer after the screening of the film, has cleared to spectators that he loves and appreciates his country's achievements over the last one and a half century, (during which the Federation of Canada has developed and matured, passing the tests of times). What he intended to convey was the idea that no society could take itself as perfect, and that there was always room for progress and that immigrants are not necessarily only what they are often as perceived by prejudices. And we agree. Artists' psyche and mentality focus on a continuous search for progress and improvement. And they are very much engaged in that. Leaving a country to the mercy of politicians, bureaucrats and officials would be unwise. To leave certain stereotypes flourish is also improper. Concerned citizens as well, (specially artists, musicians, poets, playwrights, movie producers, script writers, painters etc should have their say on their country's matters.) Chouinard underlines that it is just because Canada is a free society that we can make a film of this type, and have it screened openly, which would be unthinkable to make and still less to screen, under any non democratic regime. Canada is also an open and immigrant friendly country, but guided by well set rules. Besides, it is because Canada is a welcoming society that it admits every year more than 250,000 new immigrants!

What is well depicted in 'Tar Angel' is not only one aspect of Canadian society, (specially before police and immigration staff have been better drilled) but also shows the kind of generation gap that could exist in an immigrant's family, the discrepancy in their mentality. You see that the head of the Algerian family aspiring to be Canadian by all means (in flesh and bones), Ahmed Kasmi, with priority to the future of his family, while on the other hand, the young son in the family, Hafed, adheres to a disgruntled group of underground extremist social rights activists, ready to resort to civil disobedience and violence, in a wider perspective. It is motivated by a desire to challenge the way certain rules may be devised and applied with Immigration Canada the target and the risks unlimited and excessive.

Moreover, the film shows segments of Canadian society, not necessarily only the best and polished side, but also the underprivileged as well. You see ice, snow and cold every where, (a stereotype of Canada?) but you also see how people cope with it well! The diversity of cultures and races, typical of Canadian society is also depicted. The film also shows a certain image of Immigration Canada trying to do its job (although the issue of deportation seems overstretched for artistic/dramatic purposes). In any case, it should not be forgotten that the film is not a documentary, and much artistic hyperbole has been injected in it! The point is, it tries to deal with one aspect of an immigrant's life in a special context, and intends to invite the spectator to come out of the hall pondering.

While Canada still remains among the most cherished destinations of immigrants, specially from the Third World, and the image it has built is so shining that anyone who watches, 'Tar Angel' would be induced to reconsider certain preconceptions. Surely, admitted that the director does not intend to discredit Canadian society, he suggests however refinements, both from the side of the immigrants (in terms of avoiding total submission to authorities, just to become Canadian citizen) as well as on the part of the host country, immigration authorities, security etc, on how they should be treating immigrants, genuine or fake.

Undoubtedly, the courage of the director in dealing with such a burning, sensitive and controversial issue is to be admired, (I remember incidentally Roberto Benigni's treatment of the delicate issue of the Holocaust in the context of a love story in a family in his masterpiece 'Life is Beautiful' some years earlier). To get involved in certain societal issues, you always risk to displease some one, and at a certain point, you would even risk to displease everyone, for various reasons. But not to face it or pretend that the reality does not even exist, would be even more of a betrayal of one's vocation, apathy, hypocrisy edging on cowardice, which is worse. People should be sensitized about such issues and talk so that better solutions are prospected. And artists have a huge responsibility in this regard, because any kind of 'activists' on any side of the spectrum, would risk to exhibit bias, and the issue be misconceived, misinterpreted.

At the same time, the success of the story in 'Tar Angel' lies on the intense love that both the father and the girl friend nurture for Hafed, the young rebel involved in militant activities. Both Ahmed and Huguette love Hafed and such bond gives them the solidarity to try and save Hafed before it is too late. Such common denominator becomes one of the themes of the film. The efforts that they put together to look for and find Hafed shows an improvised alliance in love, and even if eventually Hafed may not have lived long enough to see the realisation of some of his dreams, his family has made it, and are now better citizens, ( the extreme sacrifice paid by their son, seems to make them savour more the significance of an integration/naturalisation based on freedom, pride, self-esteem, dignity and love). In the end, we see that life is inspired, motivated and conducted by love, and the spectator witnesses that where there is love, there is room for every thing else, including victory, freedom from fear, freedom from humiliation and even from death! There is 'Immortality!'