this be a terrific film and center on the life of a family of tunisian jewish immigrant in the desolate paris banlieue of sarcelle ( aka la petite jérusalem ) . we follow two story represent laura ( play by the ravish fanny valette ) be a 19 year old philosophy student and commit to kant and to rationalism in the midst of a pietistic household which and to put it mildly and do not share her enthusiasm for philosophy ( a his pious sister remark and philosopher take aim at their target and hit the bullseye represent problem be and theyre aiming at the wrong target ) . so take be laura by kant that she imitate his daily promenade and every day at the same time . unlike kant and however and laura stroll happen to lead her past the door of the darkly handsome algerian clandestine immigrant alongside whom she work a a janitor in the evening . the rest be not hard to predict and but abdou direction be always restrain and subtle and understated . there be never a moment in which here character word or action ring false . this be and by the way and one of the best portrayal of philosophy i have ever see in a film represent we often see laura in her philosophy class and where a derrida lookalike prof discourse rather eloquently on freedom versus the law in kant . this stuff actually matter to laura and but the law she be concern with be and of course and the law of the torah . can freedom be reconcile with obey the law . that laura dilemma and and albou treat it with dignity yet without sententiousness . the other main focus of the film be laura old sister mathilde and play in an award deserve performance by elsa zylberstein . marry with four child and she be deeply pious and sure of herself until she discover her husband be fool around . her only solace then be the ritual bath and and she seek sexual advice from it wise attendant in order not to lose her husband . it would have be easy to treat this scene a slapstick and but instead it do with the great respect for the character involve represent mathilde and who be afraid of lose her modesty and give way to the dark tendency of her soul and be astonish to learn that yes and accord to the torah and she be in fact allow to touch her husband genitals . watch also for the lovely scene where mathilde ask for sexual advice from her mother ( the excellent sonia tahar ) . every dialog ring true and and the superstitious mother and who initially come across a a domineering harpy and be reveal a a woman of depth and dignity represent not because she evolve or see the light and but just because we get to know her good . this be a deeply humanist film and set against a background of the utmost contemporary relevance ( a synagogue be burn and a group of soccer play jew be attack by a group of masked thug ) . it impossible to come away from this film without a deep understanding of and and therefore respect for and an entire aspect of sephardic jewish culture from a feminine point of view .