In a Whisper

“Hiam Abbass is magnetic.”

“An impeccable ensemble cast and a vivid sense of time and place.”

“Bouzid’s screenplay pays attention to all her characters and offers delicate shades of feeling rather than a simplistic dichotomy.”

“Lilia’s journey is captured through warm, naturalistic imagery that emphasizes the bucolic side of the Tunisian locations.”

“If In a Whisper begins with the quiet despair of a funeral, it ends with a joyous communal celebration.”

“Bouzid has a lyrical way of filming bodies melding together with composer Yom’s score providing a jazzy accompaniment.”

"Bouzid finds time for lovely, quiet scenes showing how life goes on."

“Bouteraa plays Lilia with restrained mannerisms, but an avalanche of emotion in her face. Abbas takes the film’s stoic center, shading the character in such a way that her dilemma becomes the audience’s main focus.”

“It’s a brilliantly acted and compassionate in vivo study which Leyla Bouzid delivers in an attractive chiaroscuro style.”

“Elegantly restrained so as not to overshadow the heart of the story, the film is audacious, notably boasting shots blending the past and the present in a single image.”