the tunisian french laura ( fanny valette ) be a young woman that live with her orthodox jewish family in the jewish community in the suburb of paris . her mother be a widow that leave tunisia while her sister mathilde ( elsa zylberstein ) be have trouble in her marriage because she repress her sexual desire base on her misunderstanding of the principle of her religion . laura be an open mind student of philosophy and work clean a school in the nightshift . while laura feel a strong passion and desire for her muslin algerian colleague and her sister find that her husband have an affair with a woman and look for an adviser that help her to interpret the true meaning of love and the duty of a married woman . la petite jerusalem be a sensitive film about religion and intolerance and philosophy and repress desire . the story expose how religion may affect relationship through the dilemma of two sister raise a conservative community . the old one misunderstands and be confuse about the limit of intimacy of a couple and and the young feel how prejudice and intolerance may affect relationship even of those that be less religious or more open mind . the magnificent performance be very realistic and fanny valette be an extremely beautiful woman . my vote be seven . title ( brazil ) represent a pequena jerusalém ( the little jerusalem ) .