In A Whisper is a powerful, heartwrenching drama about the strength it takes to be ourselves and the sacrifices we make for our families.
Director: Leyla Bouzid
Original Title: À Voix Basse
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 113′
Berlin Film Festival Screenings: February 13-22, 2026
U.S. Release Date: TBA
U.K. Release Date: TBA
In A Whisper (À Voix Basse) begins with anything but the quiet that its title suggests; the walls of Lilia’s (Eya Bouteraa) family home ring with the sound of wailing mourners mixed with melodic calls to prayer as they grieve the loss of her uncle. The sound overwhelms and disorientates as the bones of the family structure crumble under the weight of their grief, and In A Whisper immediately assures the audience that this isn’t going to be a typical family drama.
Lilia’s family is the centerpiece of In A Whisper, and the film cuts no corners when it comes to displaying the depth of their mourning and exploring how different generations deal with pain in completely unfamiliar ways. While her grandmother wails and cries over the passing of her only son, her daughters are stoic: they hold it all inside, carrying the weight of the family on their shoulders.
But beyond In A Whisper’s profound exploration of grief, the film also offers a gripping, fast-paced mystery for audiences to solve as details of Lilia’s uncle’s death begin to unravel. The police soon realize he was harboring a deep secret: one that teetered his family’s reputation on a knife’s edge, and one that his sisters pushed down the same way they pushed down their own feelings.
On top of that, Lilia has a secret of her own: she’s in a relationship with a woman, which strictly isn’t allowed under Tunisian law. Director and writer Leyla Bouzid does an incredible job of balancing these multiple subplots together, ensuring that each narrative thread enhances the others rather than diverting attention from them. The family’s grief is integral to understanding why Daly was forced to keep a secret, and that secret in turn plays a crucial role in Leila’s sense of self-discovery and sexuality. It’s not a film juggling several different stories, but rather one overarching narrative that manifests in several different genre-driven forms.
Beyond her tender and deeply human screenplay, Bouzid also demonstrates a keen talent as a director through In A Whisper. Her decisions regarding camera placement and framing are incredibly confident, taking the audience outside of their comfort zone to create unique atmospheres and demonstrate her visual creativity. The way her directorial flair contrasts with the intentionally mundane family moments in her story is genius, and frankly necessary to make this film as engaging and thought-provoking as it is.
In A Whisper also benefits from some very powerful, nuanced performances – most notably Eya Bouteraa, who plays the lead role of Lilia. She’s a clear standout of the ensemble, making the most of her character’s quiet moments and clearly displaying how her character’s mindset and attitudes are affected by the events she goes through in this story. Hiam Abbass is also turning in masterful work as Lilia’s mother, exploring how people can often make cruel or unjust decisions in order to protect their children from an equally cruel world.
In A Whisper is much more than the sum of its parts; it’s not just a family drama about grief and loss, nor is it always a gripping mystery with high stakes and clever twists. It’s both of these things in well-balanced measures, with finely tuned performances and unwavering visual creativity to enhance the story. There are admittedly moments that feel overlong and drawn out, but this comes across as a necessary consequence of the slow-burn storytelling that Bouzid is aiming for.
In a Whisper (À Voix Basse): Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Lilia returns to Tunisia for her uncle’s funeral and reunites with a family that knows nothing about her life in Paris, especially not about the woman she loves. Determined to confront her family’s secrets as they gather and old friends resurface for reminiscing, Lilia is reminded of why she left Tunisia in the first place and sets out to unravel the mystery of her uncle’s sudden death.
Pros:
- Excellent technical craft that enhances the slow, methodical storytelling.
- Top-notch performances from the entire cast, most notably Eva Bouteraa.
- Densely thematic writing that explores several fresh ideas in depth, with adequate context for the audience to fully understand.
Cons:
- Lack of narrative momentum in points, as the story struggles to resolve every plot thread without feeling rushed.
In a Whisper (À Voix Basse) premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February 13-22, 2026. Read our Berlin Film Festival reviews and our list of 20 films to watch at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival!