The Little Sister
Devout Muslim teenager Fatima (Cannes Best Actress winner Nadia Melliti) takes a journey of self-discovery amid her Algerian immigrant family in Paris in Hafsia Herzi’s queer coming-of-age story. Nominated for six César Awards, winner of Best Female Newcomer (Melliti).
Nominated for six César Awards, winner of Best Female Newcomer (Nadia Melliti)
Devout Muslim teenager Fatima (Nadia Melliti) lives with her loving Algerian immigrant family in Paris, but fears the inevitable fallout if her tradition-minded kin discover her identity as a lesbian. Initially wary of her own sexuality and eager to downplay it, Fatima blossoms when she meets Ji-na (Return to Seoul star Park Ji-Min), but challenges await the nascent couple. In her fourth directorial effort, Hafsia Herzi (also acclaimed for her captivating performances in The Rapture and The Secret of the Grain) rejects the clichés of queer coming-of-age stories, which so often center around tragedy and trauma. Instead, Herzi centers one young girl’s relatively drama-free journey of self-discovery and coming out, one telling incident at a time. A true discovery in her first on-screen role, Melliti won Best Actress awards at Cannes and Lumières, as well as the César Award for Best Female Newcomer, while the film took home the prestigious Louis-Delluc Prize in 2025. A Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2026 selection. A Strand Releasing release.
Critic's Pick! A tender coming-of-age drama.”
—Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times
An instant classic of the [coming-of-age] genre, as moving in its humanism as it is sexy.”
—Jon Frosch, The Hollywood Reporter
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