Tunisia has made relatively few submissions for the international feature Oscar, yet thanks to female helmer Kaouther Ben Hania, the country recently earned a nomination with “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020) and a place on the shortlist with “Four Daughters” (2023). This year’s submission, “Take My Breath,” comes from another female director, Nada Mezni Hafaiedh, but did not make the shortlist. The beautifully shot, attractively cast melodrama follows the plight of an intersex person living as a woman until her secret is betrayed. Unfortunately, the well-intentioned screenplay by Hafaiedh and Pascal Jousse piles on such a plethora of social issues (police corruption, violence against women, sexual trafficking, illegal immigration) that it overwhelms the central storyline.
Shams (slender, androgynous-looking Amina Ben Ismail) is a talented 23-year-old seamstress, who is well-liked in her small island community. She lives with and supports her bitter mother Fadilah (Fatma Saidene) and wheelchair-using sister. Her quiet competence and natural beauty grab the attention of hunky engineer-cum-fisherman Habib (former model and TV star Mohammed Mrad), who wants to marry her. Meanwhile, she is being eyed lasciviously by neighborhood thug Abdelkhalik (Aymen Ben Hmida), the abusive husband of her friend Naima (Sana Ben Cheikh Larbi).
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The film’s opening moments are so quiet and naturalistic, highlighting the beauty of the island and the sweet attraction between Shams and Habib, that it’s a bit of a surprise when events take a turn for the histrionic. Yet from the beginning, it is obvious that Shams has a secret, one that she is unable to share with Habib, beyond stammering, “I’m not like other girls.” But without any foregrounding, it turns out Naima knows what Shams is hiding and the two women share a secret passion.
Once her secret is out, Shams is forced to flee the island for Tunis before her neighbors, who fear what they don’t understand, turn on her. She takes refuge with Toufik (Mohamed Dahech), the Sufi practitioner son of island wise man Abderrahmane (Fathi Akkari), and tries to decide on what gender identity to use moving forward.
Though it offers a partial insight into the challenges facing an intersex person like Shams, whose mother was so ashamed that that her baby had both sexual organs that she failed to register the birth, the film continually spirals into less credible, soap opera-like subplots, and leaves us craving more information about Shams’ condition. Even as Shams makes some naive and dangerous mistakes while trying to land a job, the Sufi teachings of Toufik and his father add positive lessons of love and compassion that help Shams become more grounded and confident.
The film marks the third long feature by director Hafaiedh, whose works (fiction and documentary) share an interest in marginalized communities and female sexuality. While the screenplay encompasses some taboo topics, it has the good sense to only suggest rather than show anything lurid.
“Breath” traveled the festival circuit last year before a successful theatrical opening in Tunisia in November 2023. Apart from good-looking leads Ben Ismail and Mrad, the film’s biggest asset is the striking camerawork by Mohamed Magrahoui, which is particularly attuned to light and water.