In a Whisper

An uncle’s sudden death brings an entire family together in Tunisia. Lilia (Eya Bouteraa) flies from Paris to attend the funeral, and soon after arriving, she discovers a mystery surrounding her uncle’s death. This sparks her desire to find out what really happened. 

Lilia is in her thirties and in a relationship with a French woman, but her Tunisian family is unaware of it. For Lilia, returning home means leading a double life, in which she must keep up appearances for her family while her girlfriend, frustrated by the secrecy, waits alone in a hotel. A culture of silence creates a tense atmosphere, and conflict becomes inevitable. 

In a Whisper explores the cost of hiding one’s true self and taboos within the Arab community, particularly the criminalization of homosexuality in Tunisia. In her third feature film, director Leyla Bouzid returns to Tunisia and revisits themes from her previous films, about how societal forces influence people’s private lives, especially their sexuality.

Oliver Tomar