Dunya & Desie

Colour, 35 mm
Netherlands, Belgium, 2008, 94 min
Section: Variety Critics’ Choice

Synopsis

Cross-cultural road pic Dunya & Desie positively sings with upbeat energy and humor, nailing its target teen-girl audience with a well-crafted story of friendship and understanding. Amsterdam-based Dunya (Maryam Hassouni) and Desie (Eva van de Wijdeven), both 18, are best friends despite the enormous gulf in backgrounds and personalities. Dunya’s traditional Moroccan family is none too pleased with her friendship with Desie, a bubbly white-trash poster girl with bleached hair and skimpy clothing. Right before Dunya’s parents (Rachida Iaallala, Mahjoub Benmoussa) take her to Morocco for an arranged marriage, Desie discovers she’s pregnant, forcing her to decide whether to abort. The confused teen decamps to Morocco to hook up with Dunya and find her father, who left Holland for Casablanca 18 years earlier.