The Secret of the Grain
At the port of Sète, Mr. Slimani, a tired 60-year-old, drags himself toward a shipyard job that has become more and more difficult to cope with as the years go by. He is a divorced father who forces himself to stay close to his family despite the schisms and tensions that are easily sparked off and that financial difficulties make even more intense. He is going through a delicate period in his life and, recently, everything seems to make him feel useless: a failure. He wants to escape from it all and set up his own restaurant. However, it appears to be an unreachable dream given his meager, irregular salary that is not anywhere near enough to supply what he needs to realize his ambition. But he can still dream and talk about it with his family in particular. A family that gradually gives its support to this project, which comes to symbolize the means to a better life. Thanks to its ingeniousness and hard work, this dream soon becomes a reality...or almost....
The film earned $14.7M at the global box office.
19 wins & 9 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Secret of the Grain (2007) demonstrates strategically placed narrative design, characteristic of Abdellatif Kechiche's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 31 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Slimane sits silently at a family dinner table, surrounded by his extended family but emotionally distant, establishing his marginalized position in his own family after divorce.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 17 minutes when Slimane is laid off from the shipyard after decades of service, losing his livelihood and sense of identity as he approaches retirement age.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 36 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Slimane actively commits to the restaurant boat project, beginning renovations and preparations despite the enormous financial and logistical challenges ahead., moving from reaction to action.
At 75 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Slimane secures a meeting with the port authority and bank officials for the opening night trial run, raising the stakes. It appears the dream might actually succeed, but the pressure intensifies., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 111 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, During the crucial opening night dinner with officials, Slimane becomes physically ill and disappears, unable to face the moment of truth. His dream appears to die as he abandons the event at its critical moment., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 120 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. The family and community collectively decide to continue without Slimane, realizing the dream belongs to all of them. Rym's performance transforms the event, and the couscous begins to be served., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Secret of the Grain's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping The Secret of the Grain against these established plot points, we can identify how Abdellatif Kechiche utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Secret of the Grain within the drama genre.
Abdellatif Kechiche's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Abdellatif Kechiche films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Secret of the Grain represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Abdellatif Kechiche filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Abdellatif Kechiche analyses, see Blue Is the Warmest Color.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Slimane sits silently at a family dinner table, surrounded by his extended family but emotionally distant, establishing his marginalized position in his own family after divorce.
Theme
A family member discusses dignity in work and the importance of creating something of your own, foreshadowing Slimane's need to reclaim his sense of purpose and identity.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Slimane's world: his job at the shipyard, strained relationship with ex-wife Souad, his new girlfriend Latifa and her daughter Rym, and the multi-generational immigrant community in Sète.
Disruption
Slimane is laid off from the shipyard after decades of service, losing his livelihood and sense of identity as he approaches retirement age.
Resistance
Slimane hesitantly begins developing his idea to convert an old boat into a restaurant. He debates whether to pursue this dream, seeks advice, and starts tentative preparations while facing family skepticism.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Slimane actively commits to the restaurant boat project, beginning renovations and preparations despite the enormous financial and logistical challenges ahead.
Mirror World
Rym, Latifa's daughter, becomes deeply invested in helping Slimane, representing the younger generation's faith in him and embodying the theme of family chosen rather than given.
Premise
The promise of the premise: Slimane and his makeshift family work together on the boat, renovating it, planning the menu, and preparing for the opening. This section shows the dream taking shape.
Midpoint
Slimane secures a meeting with the port authority and bank officials for the opening night trial run, raising the stakes. It appears the dream might actually succeed, but the pressure intensifies.
Opposition
Bureaucratic obstacles mount, family tensions resurface, and doubts grow. The opening night dinner approaches with inadequate preparation, lack of official approval, and Slimane's visible anxiety about failure.
Collapse
During the crucial opening night dinner with officials, Slimane becomes physically ill and disappears, unable to face the moment of truth. His dream appears to die as he abandons the event at its critical moment.
Crisis
Slimane remains absent and incapacitated while Rym desperately tries to hold the dinner together, performing an extended belly dance to stall for time as chaos threatens to overwhelm the evening.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The family and community collectively decide to continue without Slimane, realizing the dream belongs to all of them. Rym's performance transforms the event, and the couscous begins to be served.
Synthesis
The extended couscous dinner sequence: the family sustains the event through collective effort, food is served, tensions ease and mount, but the evening continues in Slimane's absence, redefining success.
Transformation
Slimane remains absent, alone and defeated. The final image shows the aftermath with ambiguity—the community has come together, but Slimane's personal dream and presence are notably, achingly absent.