Inspired by filmmaker Marco Carmel’s own childhood, Father’s Footsteps is a gritty crime drama with the added charm of a French coming-of-age tale. Close-knit, loving and in for a heap of trouble, the Tunisian-Israeli Maimon family arrives in mid-1970s Paris footloose and free with little but a VW bus to its name. Hapless father Felix (the wonderful Gad Elmaleh) works hard to scrape together a living, but his inability to play by the rules soon attracts the attention of local crime boss Serge, who makes Felix the proverbial offer he can’t refuse. Bank heists lead to jail time for Felix, leaving resilient wife Mireille struggling to keep the family together. Teenage son Adam steers clear of trouble. It’s 11-year-old Michel (in a standout performance from young actor Jules-Angelo Bigarnet) who, desperate to fill the void left by a father he once regarded as a hero, is all too open to a disastrous slate of influences—including the insidious Serge. A touching story about a childhood interrupted soon gives vent to ominous subplots as Michel stumbles upon a Nazi hideaway in the woods, conflicts come to a boil with Palestinian friends and toy guns get replaced with the real McCoy. Smartly written and boasting memorable performances, Father’s Footsteps will have you rooting for each member of the Maimon family, even when they make questionable choices. Nominated for five Israeli Academy Awards (Ophir Awards).—Shira Zucker
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