Golshifteh Farahani

Hichem Yacoubi

Majd Mastoura

Aïsha Ben Miled

Ramla Ayari

Feryel Chammari

Najoua Zouhair

Jamel Sassi

Rim Hamrouni

Mhadheb Rmili

Atef Ben Chedly

Oussama Kochkar

Yosra Bouzaiene

Zied Mekki

Moncef Ajengui

Maud Ameline

Manele Labidi

Laurent Brunet

Yorgos Lamprinos

Flemming Nordkrog

Mila Preli

Raouf Hiloui

Hyat Luszpinski

Jean-Christophe Reymond

Serge Hayat

Amaury Ovise

Olivier Père

Salem Daldoul

Aurélie Guichard

Sylvie Aid

Samuel Aïchoun

Olivier Dandré

Jérôme Gonthier

Sabri Thabet

Comedy

Drama

Un divan à Tunis

Kazak Productions

ARTE France Cinéma

France

Tunisia

Tejas Nair

Arab Blues (A Couch in Tunis) is an instantly likeable film. Its opening shot - about an old man's description of who Sigmund Freud might be from his looks - is charming and so is the story that succeeds it of a young woman (Golshifteh Farahani) coming back to her homeland, Tunisia, from Paris to start a psychoanalysis practice. She knows she will be looked down for it, a testament that she immediately gets from her uncle. But she is independent, courageous, and gritty, and so the film begins. I absolutely loved all the characters and their performances here, especially Farahani, Feryel Chammari, and Aïsha Ben Miled. Each actor is better than the other and I had a sweet time looking at them, delivering beautiful dialogues and acting like it's real life. The social critique is pregnant here but Arab Blues projects itself as a lively comedy about a woman's struggle in modern-day Tunis, a state still marred by backward beliefs and customs, something that is common everywhere. With a supporting soundtrack, adequate humour, and the ability to keep you engaged, Arab Blues is easily one of the most pleasant comedies you will see this year. Glad I sat down and considered EUFF. **Grade A-**.

(Watched at the 2020 European Union Film Festival of India (EUFF).)

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Arab Blues

ARAB BLUES clip | BFI London Film Festival 2019