A Tale Of Love And Desire by director Laila Bouzaid will take part in the International Panorama of the 43^rd Cairo International Film Festival (November 26^th to December 5^th)
 
The Cairo International Film Festival is one of the oldest and most celebrated festivals in the Arab world and Africa. It is the only festival in the Arab and African region to be accorded category “A” status by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations in Paris (FIAPF).
 
Previously landing its world premiere at Cannes’s International Critics' Week, A Tale Of Love And Desire has recently joined the Official Competition of Carthage Film Festival (JCC) in Tunisia, and screened at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and Angoulême Film Festival, where it won two awards; Valois de diamant du meilleur film, and Prix d’interprétation masculine.
 
Ahmed, French teenager of Algerian origin, meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl, and falls head over heels in love with her. While discovering a collection of sensual and erotic Arab literature, Ahmed tries to resist his desire towards Farah.
 
Written and directed by Laila Bouzaid, A Tale Of Love And Desire stars Sami Outalbali, Zbeida Belhajamor, Samir Elhakim, Diong-Kéba Tacu, and Aurélia Petit, and is produced by Blue Monday Productions, and Pyramide International. MAD Solutions handles the film’s distribution across the Arab world, while Pyramide International handles the film’s international distribution.
 
Born and raised in Tunisia, director Leyla Bouzid went to Paris to study French literature at the Sorbonne, where she joined La Fémis’ Directing department. After working on several award-winning short films, Leyla directed her debut feature, As I Open my Eyes (a.k.a. a Peine J'ouvre les Yeux) in 2015. The film was presented at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival, before winning more than forty international awards and achieving success during its simultaneous theatrical release in France and Tunisia. A Tale Of Love And Desire is her second feature film.