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The Wedding Song

Play trailer Poster for The Wedding Song Released Oct 23, 2009 1h 40m Drama War Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In Tunis, Tunisia, during the Nazi occupation of World War II, the lives of two young women -- Jewish Myriam (Lizzie Brocheré) and Muslim Nour (Olympe Borval) -- are forever changed by the spread of anti-Semitism. Myriam's family, saddled by financial burden, is pressuring Myriam to marry a wealthy doctor. Meanwhile, Nour's fiancé, Khaled (Najib Oudghiri), whose wedding is contingent on finding a job, entertains thoughts of becoming a functionary in the Nazi propaganda machine.

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The Wedding Song

Critics Reviews

View All (16) Critics Reviews
Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times 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. Rated: 4/5 Nov 5, 2009 Full Review Nathan Rabin AV Club The bond between Brocher 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. Rated: C+ Oct 29, 2009 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly 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. Rated: B Oct 28, 2009 Full Review Ron Wilkinson Monsters and Critics Csar 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. Rated: 7/10 Nov 10, 2009 Full Review Marcy Dermansky About.com 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. Rated: 3.5/5 Oct 27, 2009 Full Review Avi Offer NYC Movie Guru An engrossing, tender and captivating drama with heartfelt, raw performances. Rated: 8.75/10 Oct 26, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (13) audience reviews
Audience Member Really disturbing movie. I was interested in the cultural aspects, learning about what these women had to live through. What I didn't expect was watching all of the graphic physical things -- having to watch each rip of wax when one woman was being made "oriental" for her fiancee -- did we really have to see the whole thing? One shot plus watching her face would have gotten the idea over without subjecting us to the torture she felt she was going through. Bleck! Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Beautiful image that is not afraid to go against some of the mainstream restrictions of the Arab cinematography. Very powerful! Amazing photos. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member The German occupation of Tunisia forms the backdrop for this gritty look at Arab-Jewish relations on a microscopic scale. Two families that live in the same compound try to deal with the harsh realities of war, testing friendships. Excellent, sensitive telling, terrific acting and unrelenting tension made this a most interesting film. The collaboration between the Germans, the French, and the native Arabs, was an aspect of the war that this viewer had been unaware of. No longer. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member There's a lot going on in this film. Perhaps, too much in this story of the Nazi occupation of Tunis in 1942. The friendship of a Jewish and Muslim girl is tested against the actions of their parents and the occupiers. The preparation for marriage scene, Oriental style, is painful to watch and lasts too long. However, this is a very fine film, and should be seen by all who have an interest in the terrible times of World War II. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member This film is a seductive,exquisite,and erotic drama by writer and director Karin Albou,who gave us in 2005 "La Petite Jerusalem",and plays in this film Myriam's mom. The film immerses us in a women's environment,focusing above all on the intense friendship of two 16-year-old girls coming of age and living in Nazi-occupied Tunis in 1942. The teens' closeness,though not sexual,has strong erotic overtones,their hopes of love,and their attempt to overcome the crushing obstacles of cultural differences and racist politics,are the heart of the film. The film also gives us a glimpse inside the wome's section of a hamman(public bathhouse),and a very shocking but most emblematic scene:a peerless melding of cruelty and tenderness.The movie's distinction lies in Lizzie Brochere and Olympe Borval giving us two very lovely perfomances,and in the passion and pain of parallel live-both girls suffering at the hands of men,both struggling to understand the brutality of the world they must share. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member An arty-farty chick flick. The cultural conflict between a Muslim and a Jew is very well portrayed. The last scene is particularly moving, when the girls are praying for peace and safety in their respective religious prayers. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wedding Song

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Movie Info

Synopsis In Tunis, Tunisia, during the Nazi occupation of World War II, the lives of two young women -- Jewish Myriam (Lizzie Brocheré) and Muslim Nour (Olympe Borval) -- are forever changed by the spread of anti-Semitism. Myriam's family, saddled by financial burden, is pressuring Myriam to marry a wealthy doctor. Meanwhile, Nour's fiancé, Khaled (Najib Oudghiri), whose wedding is contingent on finding a job, entertains thoughts of becoming a functionary in the Nazi propaganda machine.
Director
Karin Albou
Producer
Laurent Lavolé, Isabelle Pragier
Screenwriter
Karin Albou
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Genre
Drama, War
Original Language
Arabic
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 23, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 25, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$30.8K
Runtime
1h 40m
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