‘Porte Bagage’ North American premiere

A Dutch family of Moroccan descent embarks on a road trip to honor their father’s wish to return to Morocco and spend his final days at his ancestral home. Along the way, old tensions resurface and loyalties are tested in a closely observed family dramedy about the emotional baggage we all carry as family members—that’s sometimes strapped to the roof of the car.

Speaker: Ian VanderMeulen, a Fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University. His research explores intersections among media, sound, the senses, and Islamic thought and practice, with a particular focus on the Maghrib.

“Porte Bagage” will screen as part of Belmont World Film’s 24th International Film Series, “Thicker than water,” exploring the ties that bind—and sometimes limit us—through an intimate and far-reaching collection of stories about families in all their complexity. Across cultures and continents, these films ask what we inherit, what we carry, and what we owe one another.

The series unfolds over eight consecutive Mondays at the West Newton Cinema. After a two-week break, the series returns in June with three additional remarkable films in recognition of World Refugee Awareness Month and Pride Month.

Preceded by a closing night reception at Blue Salt Restaurant, featuring Moroccan cuisine (separate admission required).

For complete details on the films in this series, visit our web site.