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
FrenchUn divan à Tunis
Directed byManele Labidi Labbé
Screenplay byManele Labidi Labbé
StarringGolshifteh Farahani
CinematographyLaurent Brunet
Music byFlemming Nordkrog
Distributed byKazak Productions
Release dates
  • 4 September 2019 (2019-09-04) (Venice)
  • 8 September 2019 (2019-09-08) (TIFF)
Running time
88 minutes[1][2]
CountriesFrance
Tunisia
LanguagesArabic
French
Budget
  • 1.990.000[2]
  • (≃$2.4 million)
Box office$3.7 million[1]

Cast

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Release

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The 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

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Box office

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Arab Blues grossed $3.7 million worldwide,[1] against a production budget of about $2.4 million.[2]

Critical response

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On French review aggregator AlloCiné, the film holds an average rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on 24 critics' reviews.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Un divan à Tunis (2020)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Un divan à Tunis (2020)". jpbox-office.com (in French). Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Nesselson, Lisa (4 September 2019). "'Arab Blues': Venice Review". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  5. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (23 July 2019). "Transgender Immigrant Pic 'Lingua Franca,' Thriller 'Only Beasts' to Bow at Venice Days". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Arab Blues | Un Divan à Tunis". TIFF. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  7. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (13 August 2019). "Toronto Adds The Aeronauts, Mosul, Seberg, & More To Festival Slate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  8. ^ "FILMS WE LIKE acquires "ARAB BLUES" by director MANELE LABIDI". filmswelike.com. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  9. ^ Asch, Mark (8 September 2019). "TIFF Review: Golshifteh Farahani Listens in the Therapeutic 'Arab Blues'". thefilmstage.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Critiques Presse pour le film Un divan à Tunis" (in French). AlloCiné. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
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