the two principal actors were shot in Mecca. While the Saudi Arabian government had previously permitted documentary crews to shoot in Mecca, this was the first fiction feature permitted to shoot during the Hajj. The film's director, Ismaël Ferroukhi, said that while shooting in Mecca, "no one looked at the camera; people didn't even seem to see the crew – they're in another world." Reception Le Grand Voyage has an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. References External links 2004 films 2004 drama films French drama road movies French coming-of-age films 2000s French-language films 2000s Arabic-language films French road movies 2000s drama road movies Films about Islam Films shot in Bulgaria Films set in France Films set in Italy Films set in Serbia Films set in Turkey Films set in Syria Films set in Saudi Arabia 2004 directorial debut films 2000s French films