Neïl Beloufa's Occidental (2017)

This is artist Neïl Beloufa's second feature, and is set in an unknown period, although mobile phones are used. Two self-styled (but not for certain) Italians – Antonio (Idir Chender) and Giorgio (Paul Hamy) – book into the 'honeymoon suite' of a two-star hotel: gay they may be, although Giorgio starts flirting with the receptionist Romy (Louise Orry-Diquéro).

But the beginning is far from simple, in fact the whole film – with elements of a love story, a thriller, a comedy and maybe even a satire – is far from simple. Outside the hotel there is a riot, although the reason for it is unknown. There is prejudice in the hotel: homophobia, racism, ageism, etc. There's an overall stifling sense of pananoia and suspicion in most of the people in the hotel, and there are certainly misunderstandings. Diana (Anna Ivacheff), the hotel boss, thinks the 'Italians' are theives and calls the police: but as her suspicions are largely based on the fact that Antonio drinks Coco-Cola, which in her vast experience as a hotelier she thinks is very un-Italian, the police believe that there aren't enough grounds for arrest. But then they change their minds and think it's possible that they could be terrorists.

Towards the end the hotel catches fire and the guests have difficulty escaping: this is an extremely zany film in which the viewers' expectations are challenged all the way.