Arab Blues


Arab Blues is a 2019 French-Tunisian comedy film written and directed by Manele Labidi Labbé, in her feature debut. Starring Golshifteh Farahani as Selma, it follows a psychoanalyst moving back to her native Tunisia.
The film had its world premiere in the Giornate degli Autori section of the 76th Venice International Film Festival on 4 September 2019. It was theatrically released in France on 12 February 2020 by Diaphana Distribution, and in Tunisia on 26 February by Hakka Distribution.

Plot

The film is about a Tunisian psychoanalyst Selma who, after having been educated in Paris, moves back to Tunisia to open a psychoanalytic practice.

Cast

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, during the Venice Days, on 4 September 2019. Its North American debut was in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2019.

Reception

Box office

Arab Blues grossed $3.7 million worldwide, against a production budget of about $2.4 million.

Critical response

On French review aggregator AlloCiné, the film holds an average rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on 24 critics' reviews.