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Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis
'Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis' (Welcome at the Ch'tis) is a French film directed by Dany Boon, released in 2008 first in Nord-Pas-de-Calais then progressively to the rest of France, Belgium and Switzerland, later in Luxembourg and in Canada. The film chronicles the adventures of Philip Abrams, director of a branch of La Poste in the south of France who is transferred for disciplinary reasons for a period of two years in Bergues, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais. This was the second feature film directed by French comedian Dany Boon after 'La Maison du bonheur' (the House of happiness). It is also the first time Kad Merad holds, alone, the main role of a film. To the surprise of his producers, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis was an unbeliveable success with the public, exceeding the number of tickets sold by 'La Grande Vadrouille' and becoming with 20,479,826 entries the second best score French box office behind Titanic (20,758,887 entries).
Philip Abrams has been for many years director of an agency of La Post in Salon-de-Provence in Bouches-du-Rhone, where he lives with his wife Julie, depressive, and their son Raphael. Julie puts pressure on him to find a position in the Mediterranean Sea. After several failures and realizing that many employees with disabilities are given priority in the selection of transfers, Philippe tries to cheat the administration by posing as a disabled person in a wheelchair. When the fraud is discovered, he is sanctioned and received a disciplinary transfer for two years in Northern Bergues, near Dunkerque. This was a risky gamble that turned out to the worse. In poker like in life, it is better to use strategy than to take considerable risks. Better try your luck with a party poker bonus code then to test the French postal administration. He tries to hide the news to his wife but when she discovers the truth, she decides to stay in the South with their son and tells Philip that he must go alone.
Philippe and Julie only know the North through cliches. The great uncle of Julie who as a child lived in the North, described it as an inhospitable region where there is a freezing cold and miserable living conditions. Philip leaves the South in disarray with many negative perceptions in mind. His first moments in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais confirm his belief that these pictures are indeed real; a rainstorm falls on his car when it crosses the highway signs indicating the entrance to the region.
When meeting with Antoine Bailleul, a clerk of the office to which he was assigned, he has difficulty understanding it. Antoine hosts him temporarily with his mother, invasive and authoritarian, with whom he lives. However after a few days, Philip learns to know his other colleagues. He ends up making friends with Anthoine, and finally discovers a region very hospitable and warm.
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