_Sofia_ is a touching think-piece that makes the effort to dig deeper than the poster. Rather than stopping at the surface of the struggle to convince a man to affirm paternity of a young woman's child (in a nation where it is illegal to have sex out of wedlock), the film goes on to explore the repercussions once he does. The most important aspect of this movie is that the deeper you go, the more profound it gets...and we are reminded that just because the situation is dark, it does not mean it's black and white.

_Sofia_ is written and directed by Meryem Benm'Barek-Aloïsi, and her subtle script which obstinately refuses to point fingers deserves the award it garnered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Don't go expecting simple solutions, but go to see a black rose slowly bloom before your eyes.

On a side note, I find it very ironic that ultra-conservatives are Anti-Muslim, while practicing Muslims are the population closest to them in the world. If you describe a country where not only abortion and homosexuality are illegal, but that **pre-marital sex** is against the law, an alt-righter would think you were talking about heaven...until you mentioned you were taking about Algeria, and then they'd want to blow it up.