17, rue Bleue (2001)

Seventeen Rue Bleue is an autobiographical drama about an Algerian immigrant's downward spiral in Paris. Director Chad Chenouga tells the story of his mother, Adda, who immigrated to France illegally, seeking to escape her past and build a prosperous life. When Adda falls for her wealthy employer, Merlin, she envisions a future of wealth. However, her hopes are dashed when Merlin unexpectedly dies without a will. Adda, guided by an Algerian belief that a beauty mark on her son's hand foretells great fortune, becomes consumed by a losing legal battle for Merlin’s estate. As legal setbacks pile up, Adda turns to drugs, alienating those around her, leaving only her son, Chad. She dies from drug abuse when he is sixteen.