César nominee writer/director Karin Albou summons a genie with this pair of love stories, set in the worst of times, that challenge loyalties to the limit.
The Wedding Song (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:15
Fresh:14
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.5/10
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Two young women find that their differences bring them closer during a difficult time in this drama from writer-director Karin Albou. Nour (Olympe Borval) and Myriam (Lizzie Brochere) grew up in... Two young women find that their differences bring them closer during a difficult time in this drama from writer-director Karin Albou. Nour (Olympe Borval) and Myriam (Lizzie Brochere) grew up in the same neighborhood in Tunis, and as they've grown into adulthood they've stayed close friends, even though Nour is a Muslim and Myriam is Jewish. It's 1942, and Tunis is under occupation by Axis forces, which has made life difficult for both women: the German authorities have prevented Khaled (Najib Oudghiri), Nour's fiancee, from getting a job, forcing them to postpone their wedding, while Myriam's family must pay exorbitant fines for being Jewish, which may lead her into a marriage of convenience to a wealthy physician (Simon Abkarian) many years her senior. While Myriam sees no way out of her desperate situation, Nour finds that the Nazi propaganda circulated throughout the community is piquing her worst suspicions about Jewish stereotypes. But as Nour and Myriam sink deeper into their personal crises, they begin to understand how badly they need one another's support. THE WEDDING SONG (aka LE CHANT DES MARIEES) was an official selection at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival. [More]
Starring: Lizzie Brochere, Olympe Borval, Simon Abkarian, Najib Oudghiri
Starring: Lizzie Brochere, Olympe Borval, Simon Abkarian, Najib Oudghiri, Karin Albou
Director: Karin Albou
Director: Karin Albou
Screenwriter: Karin Albou
Composer: Francois-Eudes Chanfrault
Studio: Strand Releasing
Reviews for The Wedding Song
The movie's distinction .. lies in two lovely performances, and in the passion and pain of parallel lives -- both girls suffering at the hands of men, both struggling to understand the brutality of the world they must share.
With intimacy and sensuality, Albou explores what it means to be a woman and the bonds that women form with each other in an increasingly precarious situation.
The bond between Brocheré and Borval is more physical than verbal; they often seem on the verge of a deep, soulful lip-lock, but since neither character is developed satisfactorily, it’s hard to develop a rooting interest in...their friendship.
Writer-director Karin Albou (who plays the mother of the Jewish bride) has a sensuous, intimate filmmaking style that overrides The Wedding Song's more precariously loaded plot parallels.
Many, many movies have been made about World War II; but Albou's film provides a fresh perspective. It also doesn't hurt that her two lead actresses are terrifically beautiful.
An engrossing, tender and captivating drama with heartfelt, raw performances.
This seductively fluid and tactile drama explores love and identity through the prism of the female body and the rights of its owner.
An intelligently written and directed story of two 16-year-old girls -- one Jewish and one Muslim -- and their friendship in Tunis during the Nazi occupation in the 1940s.
A sensuous, astonishing, and memorable film about the different shades of love in sexuality, friendship, and marriage.
While a lesser filmmaker might be content to remain within the confines of corrosive zealotry, Albou proves her mettle by using religion as a conduit for exploring women’s issues.
This spirited film sustains its momentum as a tale of powerless women uniting to take back control of their destinies.
Somewhat inventive, graced by strong performances amid a background in Tunisia, 'The Wedding Song' could be called 'East Side Story' given its resemblance to the Broadway musical inspired by 'Romeo and Juliet.'
The girls' intense friendship, their hopes of love, and their attempt to overcome the crushing obstacles of cultural differences and racist politics, are the heart of Albou's concern.
A bold, very carnal take on adolescent female bonding in a setting not often portrayed onscreen. Small but ambitious movie should be able to sing its way into fests and arthouses.
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October 25, 2009:
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