A heartwarming family film about the joys and struggles of a Berber boy. A quintessentially picturesque French film about the friendship between a 12-year-old boy and an animal—in this case, a dromedary. A film in the vein of Bella and Sebastian or The Boy and the Pelican, set in the desert and Arab countries.

Zodi is a 12-year-old nomadic boy. Among the rocks in the desert, he discovers an orphaned camel calf, which he takes in, and they become best friends.

Tehu is an exceptional runner, which allows him to bring a lot of money to his tribe. However, Tarek, a local poacher and smuggler, also notices Tehua’s extraordinary abilities. To protect Tehua, Zodi decides to flee across the Sahara.

Along the way, Zodi befriends a boy who starts setting him up for camel races, where they both earn a fortune. One day, Tarek crosses Zodi’s path again and steals Tehua once more.

Zodi doesn’t give up and rescues Tehua. On his arduous journey, he must overcome several major obstacles.

Zodi’s dream is to enter Tehua in the world’s most prestigious camel race, where he would earn enough money to help his entire tribe. However, achieving this goal will require a good dose of luck, skill, and connections.

Family / Adventure / Comedy

France, 2023, 110 min

Title in other languages: Zodi et Téhu, frères du désert

Crew: Eric Barbier;

Cast: Alexandra Lamy, Youssef Hajdi, Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Pierre Hancisse, Nadia Benzakour, Amine Ennaji, Anas El Baz, Yassir Drief;

Parents’ Guide

A woman in a nightgown with spaghetti straps and a woman in a spaghetti-strap tank top.

The shooting of Tehu’s pregnant camel after it was hit by a car.

The theft of a camel. The other boys in the tribe mocking little Zodi. Zodi takes a moped without asking.

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