Through a collaboration between MAD Solutions and the Institut Français in Morocco, the feature film A Tale of Love and Desire, directed by Leyla Bouzid, will be distributed in Morocco during the month of February. The film will be exhibited in eight Moroccan cities at the Institute's headquarters. It will be shown in Kenitra on February 4 and in Marrakech on February 9 and 15, whilst on the 10th and 12th of February in Tangier, the 11th of February in Tetouan, the 13th, 14th, and 15th of February in Rabat, the 15th and 24th of February in Casablanca, and the 19th of February in Agadir.
 
The film's tour begins in Morocco, as part of a larger tour of the Arab world that would soon include the rest of the Arab countries. The poster of ‘A Tale of Love and Desire,’ which premiered at the Cairo International Film Festival and the Red Sea International Film Festival, has just been released.
 
The film received considerable critical acclaim on both the Arab and international levels,with Harvard Crimson writer Sofia Andrade saying, “The film is aesthetically and emotionally spectacular.” While Lee Marshal described it as, “warm, emotional, and lovely in every imaginable way, leaving the audience delighted and wanting more” Moreover, Latita Ratan wrote for the News in 24 website saying that, “Leyla Bouzid's masterwork, full of beauty and poetry and represented by talented actors.” And according to Mohsen Amin in Al-Ain newspaper, who described the film as, "a Tunisian film that deals with the identity question and the conflict with oneself."
 
‘A Tale of Love and Desire,’ landed its world premiere at Cannes’ International Critics' Week. Moreover, it won the Best Actor award and the Diamond Valois award at Angoulême Francophone Film Festival. Besides, it received the Jury Prize for Best First and Second Film at the Medfilm Film Festival in Rome. The film also was featured in the official competition of Carthage Film Festival (JCC) in Tunisia and was screened at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
 
Prior to this, it was screened at several prestigious festivals including, Zurich Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, CINEMANIA Film Festival, and Miami International Film Festival (GEMS).
 
The film follows the story of Ahmed, a French teenager of Algerian origin who 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 Leyla Bouzid, 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. 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 in 2003 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), which was screened 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.