A Summer in La Goulette

This 1996 Tunisian import takes place in a resort town in 1967 where the Muslim, Jewish, and Catholic communities live in relative harmony. The focus of the film is three adult friends—each from one of the town's religious enclaves—and their respective teenage daughters. The plot kicks in when each of the daughters decides it's time to lose her virginity—with a boy from another religion. Unfortunately, when the girls' fathers find out, it cause considerable rifts among them. And if that's not bad enough, the outbreak of the Six-Day War creates a tense background that threatens to shatter the intercultural peace of the town. A Summer in La Goulette might have come across as more daring to Tunisian audiences, given its central motif of young women seeking to define their own identities in the face of a male-dominated society governed by religious taboos. To American audiences, however, director Férid Boughedir's frothy comedy (with obvious sociological overtones) will only feel slightly diverting. Fans of Arabic cinema may appreciate the film's attempt to address thorny socio-religious issues, but this is optional for others. (P. Hall) [Blu-ray Review—Apr. 9, 2019—Kino Lorber, 95 min., in Arabic, French & Italian w/English subtitles, not rated, Blu-ray: $34.99—Making its debut on Blu-ray, 1996’s A Summer in La Goulette features a decent transfer with a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray release of this Tunisian film.]