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La Petite Jérusalem

Play trailer Poster for La Petite Jérusalem 2005 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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62% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Laura (Fanny Valette), a young philosophy student, lives with her immigrant family in a Jewish enclave in Paris, and is beginning to question the strict dictates of her religion. She feels bad for her sister Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein), who is married to a philanderer and believes Judaism compels her to stay with him. When Laura meets an attractive Muslim named Djamel (Hedi Tillette de Clermont-Tonnerre), her sexual desire erodes her commitment to her faith even more.
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La Petite Jérusalem

La Petite Jérusalem

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Critics Consensus

Little Jerusalem struggles to balance its weightier themes against the character study at its core, but it's elevated by strong performances from its two talented leads.

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Critics Reviews

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Susan Walker Toronto Star 05/19/2006
3/4
It is a story told in small moments, the camera close-up on a look, the stroke of a hand, the way a blonde thread is revealed in a husband's jacket. Go to Full Review
Rick Groen Globe and Mail 05/19/2006
2/4
Anyone shopping by the ton for melodrama is well advised to browse the ample display on view in this cinematic square. Go to Full Review
Jeff Shannon Seattle Times 05/12/2006
3/4
Rich in perceptive details, Albou's film has drawn favorable comparison to the work of Claire Denis (The Intruder, Friday Night), and both directors share a sensual sensitivity to their characters' inner lives. Go to Full Review
Marta Barber Miami Herald 09/15/2006
2.5/4
This beautiful tale of two sisters living in Sarcelles, a low-income Parisian suburb of mostly new immigrants, presents the darker side of religion while offering a candid view of an Orthodox Jewish family struggling to stay together. Go to Full Review
Jordan Hiller Bangitout.com 08/16/2006
1.5/4
The film, which means well in its attempt to touch on Kantian philosophy, racial divides, sex and orthodoxy, and secularism versus religion, manages to insult each one of these heavy subjects by not giving any of them the serious, thoughtful attention the Go to Full Review
Liz Braun Jam! Movies 05/19/2006
2.5/5
The background of Little Jerusalem is a grimy landscape, both physical and political, and it overwhelms the fragile exploration undertaken by the sisters. Or maybe that's the whole point. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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12/14/2011 "La Petite Jerusalem" is a sensitive film about religion, intolerance, philosophy and repressed desire. The story exposes how religion may affect relationships through the dilemma of two sisters raised a conservative community. The older one misunderstands and is confused about the limits of intimacy of a couple, and the younger feels how prejudice and intolerance may affect relationships even of those that are less religious or more open-minded. The magnificent performances are very realistic and Fanny Valette is an extremely beautiful woman. My vote is seven. See more 11/30/2010 god eludes philosophy god eludes reason... See more 10/24/2010 This was a very good movie. It felt real as if we were not looking at actors. The ending left a sense of oppourtunity for the main character Laura. It was up to the viewers to decide what will happen to Laura. It was a movie that dealt with identity and choice. See more 06/10/2010 A quiet, thoughtful examination of sexuality and freedom within a Jewish enclave in Paris. Two sisters, who live together and work at the same day care facility, explore what it means to be modest according to their religious traditions, and still express their sexual natures. The elder, Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein), comes at her dilemma from within the bonds of marriage, to a man who has been unfaithful, and the younger, Laura, as a teenager just beginning to struggle with her urges. Beautifully filmed, with a great deal of tenderness, this proved a most satisfying film. The actors were chosen for their physical and emotional qualities, not because of their religious affiliation, and much of the success can be attributed to that. The girls' mother is played by Sonia Tahar, a non-actor, who was a Jewish mother who answered an open casting call, and was quite a force of nature. At times, this viewer found her character to be incredibly superstitious and overbearing, but the story needed a strong matriarchal anchor, and she amply provided that. See more 05/21/2010 Another Wonderful movie by Karin Albou.. this is the second movie by her I watch .. and I adored her more.. she's really one the directors who knows how to attract your attention.. every camera moving in or out.. every music or song.. every eye movement. .. she just knows how to do it perfectly.. Dealing with the complexity of religion, love and philosphy this movie has become one of my favourites.. it shows the relationship inside a religious jewish family living in france but originating from tunisia.. a Young beautiful girl "Fanny Valette" .. is really beautiful .. and is weired between Kant's philosphy, her strict family and her love... This movie is absolutely recommended for everyone who likes these themes. See more 05/11/2010 "passion is a delusion which causes loss of freedom !" a good story...although the elder daughter and mother's relation did not seem real at all...well i don't know about jewish families, but in this family nothing seemed real... See more Read all reviews
La Petite Jérusalem

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Movie Info

Synopsis Laura (Fanny Valette), a young philosophy student, lives with her immigrant family in a Jewish enclave in Paris, and is beginning to question the strict dictates of her religion. She feels bad for her sister Mathilde (Elsa Zylberstein), who is married to a philanderer and believes Judaism compels her to stay with him. When Laura meets an attractive Muslim named Djamel (Hedi Tillette de Clermont-Tonnerre), her sexual desire erodes her commitment to her faith even more.
Director
Karin Albou
Producer
Laurent Lavolé, Isabelle Pragier
Screenwriter
Karin Albou
Production Co
Canal+, Film Par Film, Gloria Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Arabic
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jan 27, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA)
$50.1K
Runtime
1h 36m
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