The In(famous) Youssef Salem

Youssef Salem is a 45-year-old aspiring writer who has struggled to find success in his career. He eventually achieves fame with a novel based on his own life and family, though the book contains provocative elements and critiques of his community. As the work gains public attention and earns a preselection for the Goncourt prize, Youssef faces a difficult conflict: he must stop his parents and other relatives from reading the story to avoid a family disaster.

This French comedy was directed by Baya Kasmi, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michel Leclerc. The film stars Ramzy Bedia in the title role, alongside Noémie Lvovsky, Abbes Zahmani, Tassadit Mandi, Melha Bedia, and Caroline Guiela Nguyen. The production involved 45 credited crew members and 22 credited cast members.

Produced by France 2 Cinéma, Tandem, and Domino Film, the movie had a budget of 4 million USD. Since its release on January 18, 2023, it has maintained a generally positive reception from viewers. It holds a rating of 6.6/10 on IMDb based on 780 votes and a 6.4/10 on TMDB from 125 votes.