A new French-Tunisian comedy.
One of the few new films to reach European cinemas this summer is Arab Blues, originally titled Un divan à Tunis (A Sofa in Tunis). It is a charming French-Tunisian comedy which tells the story of a young woman, who moves to Tunisia from Paris to open a psychotherapy practice.
Selma left Tunisia when she was a child and lived in Paris for many years, leaving her with a longing and curiosity for her country of origin. As she has to find out, she is also unprepared for
some cultural differences and administrative hurdles. This creates many comedic elements, which might at times be stereotypical, but often charming and unexpected.
While the protagonist Selma is very beautiful to look at, she does not often share her feelings with the audience, but remains cool and chic most of the time. The other characters - her family, patients and officials - on the other hand, are a wonderful collection of emotional and colorful individuals. They add to the quirky charm of this film, which includes not only funny but also very deep moments. It certainly does not only make the audience laugh but also reflect on questions of identity, nationality and mental health. A worthwhile experience.
Coming to cinemas in most countries now, for example to Riffraff in Zurich. Premiere on Sunday with a Sneaky Sunday screening.