Where the Wind Comes From was born out of the need to raise the issues of Tunisian youth.
I wanted to talk about a youth plagued by the lack of jobs, infrastructure, and culture—a generation that sees emigration as the only solution for a brighter future. Alyssa and Mehdi, 19 and 23 respectively, have no money and are suffocated by a heavy family and professional daily life. Where the Wind Comes From depicts the harsh reality of these two best friends.
However, I had no desire to write a social drama that is both dark and hard to grasp. It was very important to me to write a dramatic comedy—a sunny road trip—where often-serious topics are treated poetically and with humor. This is the challenge of the film: to find lightness in times of disarray.
Above all, this movie is a friendship story. I wanted to portray a deeply connected friendship between a man and a woman without ever involving a romantic or sexual dimension. All over the world, but especially in the Arab world, we separate genders. Here, I make a point of mixing roles—inventing a courageous female character and a sensitive male character—without these being their only traits. Alyssa and Mehdi’s personalities and dialogues set the tone and bring lightness to the film. They are connected by a strong bond and an overflowing imagination.
Indeed, to escape his harsh routine, Mehdi spends his days drawing surrealistic images inspired by the stories he tells his friend. Alyssa, in turn, draws inspiration from these drawings and stories to recreate her reality and escape uncomfortable situations. Without specific editing or calibration changes, Alyssa’s imagination becomes part of the narrative.
All these elements bring to the film a surreal and poetic side that contrasts with its themes. “If we can’t even dream, what’s left for us?” asks Alyssa. This might as well be the phrase that summarizes the film. It also defines me. Much like the characters, I escape my problems by immersing myself in my imagination—and that is what I wanted to transmit through this film. This outlet, this emergency exit that every human being has—whatever their social background, whatever their level of education—allows us to endure the reality of our lives when it seems too dark.
Where the Wind Comes From is Alyssa and Mehdi’s story, their road trip, their odyssey through Tunisia. This Tunisia will show them the best and the worst of what it holds.