A story of strong social commitment and intimacy, beautifully portrayed, restores the hope that it is still possible to strive for a better world, even in the face of today’s overwhelming challenges.  Once again, his beloved city, Marseille, is the setting for the films of this reputed French-Armenian producer.

In a series of dreams, the main character, Rosa, played by Adrianne Ascaride, sees her deceased father; he is young and dark-haired, and she is just a little girl; he seems sad, because he has nothing to leave her, yet this is far from the truth, as his extraordinary words show:

“Whenever you see someone begging, reach out to them.  Give them something, even if it is just a few pennies.  There will always be thieves and people who cheat and exploit others, but one poor person is enough to make up for the lies of all the others.  Always be ready to give and to ask others if there is anything they need, even your neighbours who appear to have everything: you never know, they may feel too ashamed to ask”.

His words planted a seed within Rosa, which blossomed into a life of serving the needs of others, Firstly, as a nurse, working in the hospital in Marseille. The film opens with this lively and colourful city suddenly struck by the collapse, on November 5th, 2018, of two buildings in Rue D’Aubagne, killing 8 people.Secondly, as an activist, fighting for the needs of others, especially the most vulnerable, whatever their culture or nationality.

She has two sons who do the same: one a doctor working with migrants, the other the owner of a bar.  They are proud of their Armenian roots, like their mother, yet able to go beyond a troubled history, in order to pave the way for a new future.

This is especially true for Sarkis, who would like to marry Alice and raise lots of children.  She runs a theatre workshop, in her spare time, engaging in politics through the arts.  He falls in love and dreams of a family in which they will nurture the next generations of his Armenian community, so dear to his heart.

However, when he learns that Alice is unable to have children, he is able to let go of his plans, after seeking the wise words of Rosa, his mother, who, full of humanity and sensitivity, is going through her own doubts as she approaches retirement, questioning many things, yet never ceasing to help others keep their dreams alive.

She is able to encourage a young colleague, exhausted by the strain of her profession: “the world needs people like you” she tells her, putting aside her own doubts.  She rediscovers love, when she meets a quiet-natured bookseller and poet, who shares her ideals and zest for life.

His name is Henry and their love blossoms, helping Rosa to overcome this difficult stage of her life. This unexpected blossoming gives her strength to continue on her path, in her personal life and in society. She finds the courage to say to her political party: “All you care about is the survival of your party, and even more, your own survival within it.  You do not care about uniting behind the cause of schools, low-paid workers, poor housing, illegal immigrants.  I cannot work like that.  Call me when you have decided to stop disagreeing with each other”.

Eventually they do call her and the film emerges as a beacon of hope, where there is synergy between humanity and politics; where love and social commitment, words and actions work in harmony together for the common good, in the everyday detail of life with, alongside others, especially the most vulnerable.

Through the film, we come to see life as a celebration, which can be re-kindled after the passing of time and ideologies and many of life’s difficulties, past and present; every human heart and conscience can experience this celebration, in all its depth, and re-discover ideas and actions, simple yet valuable, on which to build the future.