Arab Blues (French: Un divan à Tunis, lit. 'A couch in Tunis') is a 2019 French-Tunisian comedy film directed by Manele Labidi Labbé in her feature debut.[3][4] It was screened in the Venice Days section at the 2019 Venice Film Festival[5] and then in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.[6][7] The film is about a Tunisian psychoanalyst Selma who, after having been educated in Paris, moves back to Tunisia to open a psychoanalytic practice.
| Arab Blues | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| French | Un divan à Tunis |
| Directed by | Manele Labidi Labbé |
| Screenplay by | Manele Labidi Labbé |
| Starring | Golshifteh Farahani |
| Cinematography | Laurent Brunet |
| Music by | Flemming Nordkrog |
| Distributed by | Kazak Productions |
Release dates | |
Running time | 88 minutes[1][2] |
| Countries | France Tunisia |
| Languages | Arabic French |
| Budget | |
| Box office | $3.7 million[1] |
Cast
edit- Golshifteh Farahani as Selma
- Hichem Yacoubi as Raouf
- Moncef Anjegui as Mourad
- Majd Mastoura as Naim
Release
editThe film had its world premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, during the Venice Days, on 4 September 2019.[4] Its North American debut was in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2019.[8][9]
Reception
editBox office
editArab Blues grossed $3.7 million worldwide,[1] against a production budget of about $2.4 million.[2]
Critical response
editOn French review aggregator AlloCiné, the film holds an average rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on 24 critics' reviews.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Un divan à Tunis (2020)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Un divan à Tunis (2020)". jpbox-office.com (in French). Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (17 January 2019). "mk2 launches sales on Manele Labidi's 'Arab Blues' starring Golshifteh Farahani, reveals first image (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ a b Nesselson, Lisa (4 September 2019). "'Arab Blues': Venice Review". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (23 July 2019). "Transgender Immigrant Pic 'Lingua Franca,' Thriller 'Only Beasts' to Bow at Venice Days". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "Arab Blues | Un Divan à Tunis". TIFF. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (13 August 2019). "Toronto Adds The Aeronauts, Mosul, Seberg, & More To Festival Slate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "FILMS WE LIKE acquires "ARAB BLUES" by director MANELE LABIDI". filmswelike.com. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ Asch, Mark (8 September 2019). "TIFF Review: Golshifteh Farahani Listens in the Therapeutic 'Arab Blues'". thefilmstage.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Critiques Presse pour le film Un divan à Tunis" (in French). AlloCiné. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
External links
edit- Arab Blues at IMDb
