Alyssa (Eya Bellagha), a high schooler in Tunis, has as many familial responsibilities as she has dreams to escape to Europe. Her older neighbor Mehdi (Slim Baccar) is a talented painter looking for any job since art doesn’t pay the bills. The poignant friendship that develops between these two characters is at the center of writer-director Amel Guellaty’s first feature film, which debuted in the world dramatic competition section at Sundance. “Where the Wind Comes From” is a visually striking film that packs in many themes within the simple framework of the road trip movie.
Unbeknownst to Mehdi, Alyssa enrolls him in an art contest in the neighboring town of Djerba. The prize is a trip to Germany. While leaving is more her dream than his, Mehdi goes along with her demanding enthusiasm. Together they have to find transportation and funds to travel. During the trip, they come to many realizations about themselves and about each other. Guellaty has a patient hand that does not push her characters too much, allowing them the space to reveal themselves. By the end of the two days encompassed by the film, the audience comes to understand the pair, as well as the place and environment they inhabit. The film might appear modest in its ambitions, but in fact, it manages to completely reveal two lifetimes.
“Where the Wind Comes From” is a character study, a portrait of modern Tunisia and an ode to the country’s youth post-Arab Spring, all at once. That time in the early 2010s brought much hope but ultimately little change from the political and economic woes this generation faces. Alyssa and Mehdi feel these pressures, trying to forge a way ahead even if sometimes it feels impossible.
To portray these conflicting emotions, Guellaty uses many elements in her director’s toolbox. Alyssa’s constant daydreaming is rendered in fantasy musical interludes, where her ordinary surroundings become full of light and happiness. For Mehdi’s quieter disposition, Guellaty makes his illustrations come alive. The soundtrack is full of recognizable classic Arab songs and contemporary Tunisian music. These scenes can be literal dreams or commentary on the socioeconomic status of the two main characters and the people they encounter. No matter the purpose, Guellaty grounds these fantastical elements in the reality of the characters while giving the audience laughter and entertainment.
Bellagha has the loud and complicated role and runs headstrong into it. Alyssa is always moving, always bursting with ideas. Only when she’s daydreaming does she become still. Bellagha infuses her performance with a big dose of verve and vitality, giving the film a chaotic energy that distinguishes it. She portrays the complexities of this character who might appear selfish and only interested in herself on the surface but is revealed to be carrying the weight of her family’s tragedy. When Alyssa relaxes to flirt with a woman on the dance floor or playfully spar with her younger sister, Bellagha shows the heart beneath the bluster.
On the other hand, Baccar has the more subdued part. Mehdi does everything slower than Alyssa. He’s more thoughtful, more methodical. When he is sitting down, he hardly moves, but is soft spoken and has very few words. He has to be cajoled to show emotion. The actor grounds the performance in an easy and pleasant manner that makes the audience understand the potential Alyssa sees in him. Both actors and characters complement each other — not in the tradition of the opposing-temperaments odd couple but by creating a relaxed camaraderie.
“Where the Wind Comes From” is fundamentally a story of friendship. However, Guellaty infuses it with so much more, exploring a few weighty themes, from systemic and generational misogyny to how making a living as an artist has become only for the wealthy. Guellaty made a tender film, by the end of which, its heft and significance have been revealed.
