La Petite Jerusalem Trailer (2006)

Religion, philosophy,romantic love and sensual desire all vie for the heart and mind of a smart, serious teenage girl in this skilfully balanced debut feature from writer-director Karin Albou.

Set in the suburban Paris neighbourhood of Sarcelles, known as 'Little Jerusalem' due to its large Jewish population, the film focuses on 18-year-old student Laura (Fanny Valette) as she tries to reconcile all the conflicting influences and feelings to which study and experience have introduced her. Living with her extended family - which includes widowed mother (Sonia Tahar), sister (Elsa Zylberstein) and brother-in-law (Bruno Todeschini) - means she's unable to escape her Orthodox upbringing, although her own immersion in Western philosophy has helped her form a strong personal view of the world, to engage contradictory dreams and lifestyles, turbulent intimate relationships...