Welcome

Welcome is a 2009 French film directed by Philippe Lioret. It stars Vincent Lindon and features Firat Ayverdi and Derya Ayverdi in their inaugural roles. The film was released on 11 March 2009 in France. The director wanted to highlight the plight of immigrants living in Calais, France, and their plans to reach the United Kingdom. Plot The film tells the story of Simon Calmat (Vincent Lindon), a French swimming coach who is divorcing his wife Marion (Audrey Dana). Simon tries to help a young Iraqi-Kurd immigrant, Bilal Kayani (Firat Ayverdi), whose dream is to cross the English Channel from Calais in France to the United Kingdom by any means possible to be reunited with his girlfriend Mina (Derya Ayverdi). Meanwhile, Mina's father strongly opposes Bilal's plans as he wants to marry his daughter to her cousin who owns a restaurant. After being caught with other immigrants and returned to France, Simon gives him temporary refuge at his home after the young Bilal, nicknamed "Bazda" (runner, for his athletic abilities and love of football and Manchester United in particular) registers for swimming lessons, intending to train to be able to swim across the Channel. After police search Simon's apartment, Bilal goes on a final attempt and drowns 800 meters from the English coast while hiding from the coastguard. Simon then travels to inform Mina. Cast Vincent Lindon as Simon Calmat Firat Ayverdi as Bilal Kayani, "Bazda", 17-year-old Iraqi-Kurd immigrant Audrey Dana as Marion, Simon's wife Olivier Rabourdin as Police lieutenant Derya Ayverdi as Mîna, girlfriend of Bilal Yannick Renier as Simon's colleague at the swimming pool Thierry Godard as Bruno, immigration activist and friend of Marion at the volunteers Fırat Çelik as Koban, a furious Turkish immigrant pursuing Bilal for a debt Jean-Paul Comart as The rank Mouafaq Rushdie as Mîna's father Behi Djanati Atai as Mîna's mother Patrick Ligardes as Hostile neighbor Jean-Paul Brissart as Immigration judge Éric Hérson-Macarel as Police officer at the detention center Emmanuel Courcol as Manager at the supermarket Jean-François Fagour as Security personnel at the supermarket Jean-Christophe Voiron as Czech truck driver Reception The film became popular with audiences in France alone reaching 780,000 in just 3 weeks on screen.