This movie tells a story of a contemporary French-Moroccan family. In order for the aging illiterate father to fulfill his religious obligation of a pilgrimage to Mecca (while the oldest son is not available), the youngest son is summoned to accompany his father. They drive in a borrowed old car 3000 miles across beautiful landscapes from the south of France to Saudi Arabia.
The son resents this duty and must put his university entrance exams on hold. During the journey, they argue over their complicated relationship, cultural differences and generational gap. To positively pass the time, his father tells him about his childhood and his life philosophy, and they learn to understand and appreciate each other. Once they arrive in Mecca, the son learns to tolerate his father’s religion.
The movie gives us a rare insight to Hajj not accessible to all non-Muslims. The lesson of the movie is to appreciate people while they are with us, and to encourage us to take the time to learn more about people we think we have nothing in coming with. Le Grand Voyage won multiple international awards.