It is a tragic and sensual film about the dreams and shattered love of two young Moroccans, Selma and Mehdi. Clotilde and Bernard (Carole Bouquet and Olivier Rabourdin) are building a luxurious villa in the kasbah of Tangier through Farid’s company (Amine Ennaji). He wants his son Mehdi (Driss Ramdi) to succeed him. The young man, passionate about architecture, would like to deepen his knowledge further, but the opportunities are scarce in Tangier.
In love with Selma (Nadia Kounda), Mehdi is sexually frustrated: hindered by the weight of religion and traditions; she resists his desire and awaits marriage. On the construction site, Mehdi meets the daughter of Clotilde and Bernard. Marie (Sara Giraudeau) is free and doesn’t hide her desire.
Seduced by this sexual freedom and the possibility of a better life in Paris with her, Mehdi engages in a relationship, increasingly leaving behind a desperate Selma. However, Clotilde, whose fortune has enabled the entire family to live lavishly, does not hear of it.
Meryem Benm’Barek films “Derrière les palmiers” with great sensitivity. Her screenplay, which inexorably progresses towards tragedy, is rich: it addresses everyday racism, the weight of religion on the sexuality of young Moroccans, class contempt, and certain postcolonial behaviors.
[Context: The article discusses the plot of a film called “Derrière les palmiers” directed by Meryem Benm’Barek. The film focuses on the themes of love, tragedy, and social issues in Morocco.] [Fact Check: This content has been truncated. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to access the full article on the website.]
