A Tale of Love and Desire

2021

1h 43m

Drama

Romance

List

100%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

57%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

Ahmed, 18, French of Algerian origin, grew up in the suburbs of Paris. At the university, he meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl, full of energy, who has just arrived in Paris. While discovering a corpus of sensual and erotic Arabic literature he never imagined existed, Ahmed falls deep in love with Farah, and although literally overwhelmed with desire, he will try to resist it.

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Alinafe M

"We see how the object, so sung about and desired, is not intended to become real, but to remain a source of poetry. By remaining a fantasy it is poetic and therefore almost divine." This whole monologue was everything and really explained why I love a romance about yearning. The whole movie felt like a slow butn with moments of pulling your hand from the fire before daring to go back in again. It felt like falling in love.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/24

Full Review

Richrd G

I was scrolling for movies and was looking for something romantic. Overall I enjoyed it a lot, I felt like he was a shy guy. It was frustrating to see him seemingly waste his chances of having a girlfriend. I felt like he was really afraid of being with a girl. I think it's a good movie that you should check out, it has its ups and downs which makes it really exciting. If you are into romantic movies with a lot of twists and turns this is for you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Leyla Bouzid

Director

Sami Outalbali

Ahmed

Zbeida Belhajamor

Farah

Diong-Kéba Tacu

Saidou

Aurélia Petit

Professor Morel

Mahia Zrouki

Dalila

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Carlos Aguilar

Los Angeles Times

Erotic verses from ancient Arab poetry enrapture a painfully inhibited young man in the sensual coming-of-age drama “A Tale of Love and Desire” from Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid.

Mar 10, 2022

Full Review

Lovia Gyarkye

Hollywood Reporter

It's an edifying and introspective film, with something valuable to say about embracing our most carnal impulses without shame.

Jul 21, 2021

Full Review

Miguel Ravelo

EscribiendoCine

If Ahmed's character is too unlikeable, the film's freshness and charisma keep the movie afloat. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Feb 6, 2023

Full Review

Manu Yáñez

Fotogramas

A magnetic film that examines the crossroad most contemporary Arab youth must face, torn between conservative traditionalism and a burning desire to rebel against it. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Oct 7, 2022

Full Review

Paula Arantzazu Ruiz

Cinemanía (Spain)

A Story of Love and Desire works as a vision of masculine desire, fragile and trembling in the emphatic face of everything. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 6, 2022

Full Review

Amber Wilkinson

Eye for Film

A film that celebrates the joy and fears associated with youthful lust, while exploring ideas of internal cultural conflict, without making it feel tacky or like a diatribe.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 20, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Ahmed, 18, French of Algerian origin, grew up in the suburbs of Paris. At the university, he meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl, full of energy, who has just arrived in Paris. While discovering a corpus of sensual and erotic Arabic literature he never imagined existed, Ahmed falls deep in love with Farah, and although literally overwhelmed with desire, he will try to resist it.

Director: Leyla Bouzid
Screenwriter: Leyla Bouzid
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: French
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 23, 2022
Runtime: 1h 43m