Pulsation

Fragile

Hard Shell, Soft Shell

Emma Benestan

France

Mediterranean summer romance

2021, 101'

VO. French

ST. English

With

Raphaël Quenard, Yasin Houicha, Oulaya Amamra

In presence of Emma Benestan, Yasin Houicha (actor).

Az has just been dumped. He's lost his "pearl". He's a fragile, sensitive young man, but his friends are there for him. An Algerian Dirty Dancing.

"Can I sob in peace, please?" Everyone knows what it's like to have their heart broken. Sometimes boys cry – they can be sensitive too... The director, who ran workshops for several years in the working-class neighborhoods around Sète, hand-picked some of the young people who make up this fierce group of friends. These colorful characters present a dazzling display of beauty, humor and excitability, always joking around, shooting the breeze and dancing! There is a hint of Marivaux about this modern feminist take that breaks down then updates clichés about the representation of masculinity. This is a sweet, sun-drenched and romantic feature debut – a "Dirty Dancing Algerian style" as the director likes to call it. The magnificent soundtrack is by Julie Roué.
Gaëlle Vidalie

Direction

Emma Benestan

Screenplay

Emma Benestan, Nour Ben Salem

Image

Aurélien Marra

Editing

Perrine Bekaert

Sound

Anne Dupov

Music

Julie Roué