588 Rue Paradis is a 1992 feature film and sequel to French-American film writer Henri Verneuil's first film, Mayrig. The movie is somewhat autobiographical and details events that affected Mr. Verneuil's real life growing up as an Armenian in France. The protagonist of the movie is Pierre Zakar (Richard Berry). The movie takes place forty years after the first movie left off. Like Verneuil himself, Pierre Zakar is an immigrant from Armenia whose family has moved to Marseilles, France. Zakar is trying to adapt to French life, but this puts him in conflict with the values of his Armenian family. Forty years later, when 588 Rue Paradis takes place, Zakar has changed his name to something that sounds more French and has become a successful playwright. His parents are still alive and Zakar invites them to the opening of his play. The conflict in this film begins as Zakar attempts to impress and respect his parents by putting them up in a very nice hotel. Unfortunately, his parents interpret this as meaning that Zakar did not want them in his home. They have a heated change and Zakar's father tragically dies. Can Zakar heal his broken family, especially his relationship with his mother, as well as his faltering conscience?moreless
