"Tender, observant, deeply moving. Herzi shows how coming out, religion, and identity can clash without turning into a battle."
Fatima, 17, is the youngest of three daughters in a French-Algerian family living in a Paris suburb. Her favorite sport is soccer; at school, she hangs out with the most boastful boys in her class; and she has a secret boyfriend who’s already thinking about marriage. However, Fatima is finding it increasingly difficult to hide what no one must know: her heart beats for women. When she begins studying philosophy in Paris, a whole new world opens up for her. Torn between family tradition, faith, and her desire for freedom, Fatima must find her own path.
THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER is an adaptation of Fatima Daas’s acclaimed autofictional debut novel from 2020 and the third feature film by French screenwriter and director Hafsia Herzi (YOU DESERVE LOVE, A GOOD MOTHER). With emotional and authentic power, the film chronicles a young woman’s sexual coming-of-age and her search for a place in the world. Cast largely with non-professional actors, directed with tenderness and tact, yet unafraid to break taboos, Hafsia Herzi has created an instant classic of queer cinema in the tradition of Abdellatif Kechiche’s *Blue Is the Warmest Color*, Céline Sciamma’s *Portrait of a Lady on Fire*, and Barry Jenkins’ *Moonlight*.
In her first on-screen role, Nadia Melliti makes a spectacular debut as an actress with her powerfully restrained, breathtaking performance. At the 78th Cannes International Film Festival, where the film received a twelve-minute standing ovation at its premiere, she was awarded the prize for Best Actress. The film also won the Queer Palm.
France, Germany 2025, 108 min.
Directed by Hafsia Herzi
Screenplay by Hafsia Herzi
Based on the book by Fatima Daas
Cinematography: Jérémie Attard
Music by Amine Bouhafa
