A small French village is about to do a wonderful thing. But when it doesn’t turn out to be what they thought, there are problems. Meet the Barbarians (Les Barbares), directed and co-written by Julie Delpy, who also stars, is a comic look at how changed circumstances may bring hidden issues to the surface.
The film opens with a “Once upon a time” title card. This gives us a clue that there is a fairy tale aspect to the story—or at least that we can expect a happily-ever-after ending. But it also notes that there will be some trouble that needs to be overcome. The story is told in a light-hearted (and sometimes bawdy) manner, but it also has a bit of the dark side of human nature.
The Breton village of Paimpont is a harmonious community. When war breaks out in Ukraine, they unanimously vote to take in a Ukrainian family. The day arrives, but it seems all the Ukrainians have found places, so instead they are sent a family from Syria. Suddenly, the newcomers are much different than expected. Racism and xenophobia slowly begin to creep into the community’s consciousness.
Schoolteacher Joëlle (Delpy), works hard to help the newcomers settle in and find a place. But rumors and perceived slights by both French and Syrians soon begin to magnify the fears. The town mayor is far more worried about image than doing what is right. The opposition finds its leader in the local plumber Hervé (Laurent Lafitte), who although is from Alsace, is more Breton than the Bretons.
The refugee family (which includes an architect and a doctor) must try to get by with menial work as they try to rebuild a dilapidated farmhouse. In time they get to share their story, but there are still those who don’t want them around. It will take something special to bring about that happy ending. It will take something that shows that they all need each other to survive.
At the Q&A after the film at AFIFest, Delpy noted that the story came about because she had been working on a film about Syrian refugees and how hard it was for them to find placement. When Russia invaded Ukraine, suddenly every town in France was ready to step up. Why was it different?
Clearly racism is a key issue in approach to refugees. At the core is the question of who we deem worthy of our attention, our help, and ultimately our love. Intellectually, we recognize that s Syrian is no less a child of God than a Ukrainian. However, our responses often are not made with our minds alone. The world is struggling with how to welcome strangers into our communities. It is true in Europe. It is true in America. We need to understand, that just as in the film, xenophobia is not the answer. Sharing our gifts and our lives with diverse neighbors will bring us a reward.
Photos courtesy of Le Pacte.
