An idealistic and passionate literature teacher at a school in a Brussels suburb becomes the target of fierce hostility from pupils and colleagues with close ties to Islamic extremism. Her “offence”: using books to promote freedom of expression and acceptance of others in the classroom. When she also helps a Muslim teenager who makes no secret of her love for women and is verbally and physically attacked as well as bullied on social media by her “devout” classmates, the situation escalates.

Jawad Rhalib’s film delicately brings out the nuances of this sensitive socio-political issue. And shows: the fight against religious extremism must not be ceded to far-right propaganda. Lubna Azabal is superb as the teacher and has already been honoured for her strong performance. A must-see!

Jawad Rhalib, born 1965 in Morocco to Moroccan parents, is a Belgian-Moroccan filmmaker. He attended the Catholic University of Louvain-La-Neuve/Belgium, graduating with a degree in communications. Before launching his film career in 1997, he worked as a journalist. His films, which generally tackle the themes of human rights and social realism, have been screened at numerous international film festivals and have received many awards.

Filmography: 2006 EL EJIDO; LA LOI DU PROFIT, 2008: THE DAMNED OF THE SEA, 2013: THE SONG OF TURTLES, 2014 7 RUE DE LA FOLIE, 2016 THE SWALLOWS OF LOVE; INSOUMISE, 2018 WHEN ARABS DANCED, 2020: THE PINK REVOLUTION, 2023 AMAL, 2024 SINCE I WAS BORN

Awards: Award for Best Actress (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia 2023)