La petite Jérusalem (2005)

A beautiful Jewish young woman still living with her orthodox family in a Parisian suburb, falls in love with a Muslim co-worker.

Director:

Karin Albou

Writer:

Karin Albou

Stars:

Fanny Valette, Elsa Zylberstein, Bruno Todeschini

8 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fanny Valette	...	Laura
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Mathilde
Bruno Todeschini	...	Ariel
Hédi Tillette de Clermont-Tonerre	...	Djamel (as Hédi Tillette de Clermont Tonerre)
Sonia Tahar	...	The Mother
Michaël Cohen	...	Eric
Aurore Clément	...	Woman at Mikva
François Marthouret	...	The Philosophy Professor
Salah Teskouk	...	Djamel's Uncle
Saïda Bekkouche	...	Djamel's Aunt
Marlon Altiparmakian	...	Mickael
Michel Hadjadj	...	Michel
Anaël Cohen-Skalli	...	Anaël
Chana Cohen-Skalli	...	Chana
Esther Chekroun	...	The Woman Talisman

Storyline

The Tunisian-French Laura is a young woman that lives with her Orthodox Jewish family in the Jewish community in the suburbs of Paris. Her mother is a widow that left Tunisia; her sister Mathilde is having troubles in her marriage because she repressed her sexual desire based on her misunderstandings of the principles of her religion. Laura is an open minded student of philosophy and works cleaning a school in the nightshift. While Laura feels a strong passion and desire for her Muslin Algerian colleague, her sister finds that her husband had an affair with a woman and looks for an advisor that helps her to interpret the true meaning of love and the duties of a married woman.

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | topless female nudity | undressing | jewish | religion | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Océan Films [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French Arabic Hebrew

Release Date:

14 December 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

A Pequena Jerusalém

Filming Locations:

Sarcelles, Val-d'Oise, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,649, 29 January 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$50,126, 20 August 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gloria Films,Film Par Film,Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite premiering at the Cannes Film Festival and being director Karin Albou's first feature film the movie was disqualified from being eligible for the Camera d'or, awarded to any debut film playing at the festival, because Albou had previously directed a made for TV movie.

User Reviews

Unique perspectives become mere formality

Yes, this movie offers a rare view into the lives of two Jewish sisters living with their family in France, the problem is there is not a whole lot of conviction behind the themes, the whole movie just kind of floats by on its own accord, never really making those connections it wishes to with the main characters. Laura, played by the sensual Fanny Valette does do a good job with her various inner struggles, and paints a respectable, and hardly viewed female archetype, in her character breaking with the traditions of family to seek out her own unique philosophies. Although potentially inspiring to the new generations of strict fundamentalist families, there is nothing depicted in this subtle religious rebellion that was not gone over ten fold with other countries feminist and/or religious fare. The resulting transformations of these two sisters seems rote in comparison, and despite the inclusion of several sex scenes, becomes predictable, tedious, and uninvolved all too quickly. Writer/Director Karin Albou does what she can for her part to retain some authenticity and command of her film but ultimately ends up loosing the viewer do to the underdeveloped script and flawed direction.