Lina El Arabi and Esther Bernet-Rollande, superb The best
Directed by Marion Desseigne-Ravel, The best (2022) is set in a working-class neighborhood and follows Nedjma, who usually hangs out with her group of friends. Until the day Zina arrives. Their first meeting will be conflictual, on a bench, where Nedjma’s gang will force her to leave, provoking the ire of Zina’s cousin. After being put in their place by her, Nedjma and her gang decide to humiliate Zina. But overcome with remorse, Nedjma tries to warn her. The two young women will slowly calm down and get closer. Only being in love with another woman is not acceptable in the neighborhood, and Nedjma and Zina will have to hide for a long time before they are discovered.
We find it in the casting of the film Lina El Arabi and Esther Bernet-Rollande in the two lead roles. The first was not his first feature film since it was revealed in 2017 Wedding. However, the actress’s popularity grew in 2024 thanks to the series Furies who was a big hit on Netflix. Undoubtedly his current notoriety could have helped The best to attract more people when it hit theaters, since the film had only built up 9567 entries (via Assigned). The same goes for Esther Bernet-Rollande, discovered for her part The bestbefore appearing on television in An unexpected fate (2024).
Despite its low rating at the cinema, The best had convinced part of the press. 20 minutes highlighting these”two extraordinary young actresses“, While The Figaro he believed that”Through an impossible love story, Marion Desseigne Ravel subtly addresses homosexuality in a North African communitySame story for First who wrote: “A successful balancing act carried out by the duo Lina El Arabi-Esther Rollande, surprising for their precision and complicity“.
More than a social film, a kind of western that deals with homosexuality
Realizing The besther first feature film, Marion Desseigne-Ravel wanted to show it in particular the issue of land sharing in this districtsymbolized initially by the bench where the girls sit. In this way, the director believes he has captured some western codestaking inspiration from the master John Ford to move away from social cinema. This is what he explained in press kit declaring:
For me it’s like a female western! You might think, if you stick to the theme, that Les Meilleures is a social film, but I wanted to move away from that dimension. That’s why we chose to stylize some places, like this pink bench that plays an important role in the story. The square as a whole is a kind of arena, like the main street in a John Ford film: there everyone crosses paths, there we observe each other, there we compare ourselves.
Of course, in addition to this, Marion Desseigne-Ravel provides a relevant representation of homosexuality in an environment where it is never discussed, or even rejected. A rejection characterized by Samar, Nedjma’s friend. However, for the director, this “disgust at his homosexuality“comes on purpose”of the disappointment he expresses by reproaching him for not having confided in him“. A way to put the friendship between these girls at the center of the film. And at the same time, Nedjma’s mother is not”never directly homophobic” But “he did not consider for a single moment the possible homosexuality of his daughter“.
This presumption of heterosexuality is something very painful to experience when you are gay. This is something that is still very common today. In this scene I really like the mix between the mother’s generosity, which pushes her daughter to ignore the voices and opinions of others, and her blindness.
Source: Cine Serie
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