简介：Setin1950sTunisia,thefilmisabouta25-year-oldwoman,Alia,whoreturnstoherplaceofbirth—aprince'spalaceinwhichhermother,Khedija,workedasahouseservantandmistress.Aliahadfledthepalacetenyearsearlier,atwhichtimeshespentburyingtorturedmemoriesofherchildhood.Inhervisittopayrespectsforthedeathoftheprince,Aliawandersthroughthelargelyabandonedpalacewheresheisconfrontedbythesememoriesrepresentedasdetailedflashbacksofherchildhood.Shebeginstopiecetogetheranarrativeabouthermother'ssexualityandsexualexploitationinaspaceorderedbygenderandclassdifference,andisre-awakenedtoherpersistentquestioningaboutherfather'sidentity.AsAlianegotiatesherpast,shealsodealswithhercurrentrelationshiptoherlover,Lotfi,whohasaskedhertohavewhatseemstobeyetanotherabortion.Herdevelopmentthroughoutthefilmcontrastsherawakeningtoapastofsexualandsocialservitudewhichmanyofthefemaleservantsexperiencedinthepalaceagainstherowncontestedindependencefraughtwithpain,conflictanduncertainty.…