Un été à La Goulette (1996)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Férid Boughedir

Writers:

Férid Boughedir (writer)
Nouri Bouzid (writer)

Release Date:

25 July 1996 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Summer, 1967. La Goulette, the touristic beach of Tunisi, is the site where three nice seventeen-year-old girls live: Gigi...

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Moral | 1960s | Muslim | Sexuality

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Sonia Mankaï	...	Meriem
Ava Cohen-Jonathan	...	Tina
Sarah Pariente	...	Gigi
Mustapha Adouani	...	Youssef
Guy Nataf	...	Jojo
Ivo Salerno	...	Giuseppe
Gamil Ratib	...	Hadj Beji
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cybelle Agha	...	Mery Glass
Fatima Ben Saïdane	...	Taita
Hatem Berrabeh	...	Salvatore
Michel Boujenah	...	Himself
Claudia Cardinale	...	Herself
Hélène Catzaras	...	Lucia
Mohammed Driss	...	Miró
Tarak Harbi	...	Hamouda
Amel Hedhili	...	Wassila
Michael Journo	...	Jacky
David Liscia	...	Maxo 'Delon'
Radhouane Meddeb	...	Vénus
Mouna Noureddine	...	La dame coquette
Jamel Sassi	...	Tewfik
Lisa Seror	...	Fritna

Also Known As:

A Summer in La Goulette (USA)
Halk-el-wad (Tunisia: Arabic title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

Tunisia | France | Belgium

Language:

French | Arabic | Italian

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:L | Finland:S | Norway:11 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7

Company:

Canal+

A thought provoking movie.

This film, although pleasant enough seems to start at a really slow pace. One may find themselves wondering when it will manage to get to its 'point' as it were. The film shows the harmony between a community of Muslims, Jews and Christians in a small town in Tunisia. A Summer in Gaulette manages to nicely give a sense of community that transcends religious barriers, focusing on Youssef (muslim), Giuseppe (catholic), Jojo (jewish)and their three daughters. Their acceptance of the other religions around them are put to the test when their daughters are found to be interested in boys from other religious backgrounds. It manages to make us question how tolerant we really are, and the strength of friendship when fundamental beliefs are tested. In light of this film's rather heavy undertone Boughedir still manages to add elements of comedy and a rite of passage aspect in regard to the daughters. In spite of the comedy at the very end of the film a tragic and rather sobering fact is introduced. As their 'tolerant'microcosm will face its biggest threat from the world outside. Youssef, Jojo and Giuseppe's friendship faces their biggest test yet.