The feature film Sophia takes us to Tunis, where a British woman, Emily, and her daughter, Sophia, are travelling for a wedding. They will also meet the girl’s father for the first time in several years. The separated couple is cordial and respectful, and the father, Hicham, is desperate to renew a relationship with his daughter.
It is a solid set-up for what follows: Sophia disappears when she is with Hicham on a busy street, and the movie becomes a race to find out what happened. Hicham becomes the main suspect by the oily police chief, who accuses him of kidnapping her for money. The main plotline is Hicham’s race to both find his daughter and prove his innocence.
We are kept guessing for much of the movie whether he was or was not involved, and meet others who may have had reasons to orchestrate a kidnapping, including Emily’s father. There are some obvious villains, red herrings, and lots of surprises. It is a well-paced and plotted thriller.
A bonus for Downton Abbey fans: Emily is played by Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay)!
Sophia was written and directed by Dhafer L’Abidine, who also plays Hicham. He is an extremely popular Tunisian actor, with a lengthy and impressive international career. In the Q&A following the film he said he had been working on writing this film for 13 years, and was thrilled to finally have it made.
Sophia is playing again on February 7.
The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place February 4-14, 2026. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels and celebrity tributes will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre and the new McHurley Film Center. Passes for the 2026 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
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