The Little Sister () is a 2025 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Hafsia Herzi. It is an adaptation of Fatima Daas's 2020 autofiction novel "The Last One". It stars newcomer Nadia Melliti as the daughter of Algerian immigrants in Paris who struggles to balance the expectations of her family with her burgenoning identity. The supporting cast includes Park Ji-min, Louis Memmi, Mouna Soualem, and several non-professional actors. The film is a co-production between France and Germany.
The film had its world premiere at the main competition of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2025, where it won the Queer Palm and the Best Actress prize, and will be theatrically released in France on 1 October 2025 by Ad Vitam.
Synopsis.
Fatima, 17, is the youngest of three daughters in a French-Algerian family. Wanting to find her own path in life, she begins university studies in Paris, where she embraces new experiences. She struggles to develop her identity and balance emerging desires, including her attraction to women, while also maintaining a sense of loyalty to her family.
Production.
"The Little Sister" is Hafsia Herzi's third feature-length film, following her Critics' Week debut feature "You Deserve a Lover" (2019) and her "Un Certain Regard" prize-winner "Good Mother" (2021). Herzi wrote the screenplay, which she adapted from Fatima Daas's debut novel "The Last One" (), which follows the life of a young Muslim woman as she explores her sexuality, religion, and relationships while living in Clichy-sous-Bois, a suburb of Paris. Daas described the novel as a work of autofiction as the life of the main character, who is also named Fatima Daas, parallels Daas' own.
The film was produced by Julie Billy and Naomi Denamur for June Films, in co-production with Arte France Cinéma and Germany's Katuh Studio.
Release.
"The Little Sister" was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 16 May 2025.
International sales are handled by mk2 Films. The film is scheduled to be theatrically released in France by Ad Vitam on 1 October 2025.