Hakim Jemili and Laura Felpin Star in Hilarious Debut Film “Love is Overrated”

The 28th Edition: A Debut Delight

Founded in 1997, the Alpe d’Huez Film Festival takes place at the winter sports resort of the same name. Positioned at an altitude of 1800 meters in the heart of Isère, the venue has welcomed thousands of festival-goers for nearly three decades, offering them a preview of upcoming major comedy films each year.

Launched on January 13, this year’s 28th edition is buzzing with activity: film screenings, celebrity meet-and-greets, and autograph sessions. This week is particularly special as seven out of the ten feature films in competition are directorial debuts.

A Trending Author’s First Film

Born in 1987 in the French department 94, Mourad Winter first made his mark as a comedian and writer. His first two novels, “Love is Overrated” and “Chicks are Just Dudes,” gained attention for their exploration of contemporary issues like seduction, friendship, and tolerance, along with questions of gender, origin, and religion. A modern author, indeed, Winter has captivated a broad readership with his candid spoken-word style, biting humor that spares no community, and his ability to hit emotional chords with genuine sincerity.

After collaborating with Malik Bentalha on “Jack Mimoun and the Secrets of Val Verde,” Mourad Winter returns to the cinema with a more personal project, as it is adapted from his first novel: “Love is Overrated.”

Is Love Truly Overrated?

Labeled as “hopeless with women” from a young age, Anis (played by Hakim Jemili) leads a rather uneventful love life. Exactly three years after the loss of Isma (Alassane Diong), his best friend and mentor, he musters the courage to venture out and meet new people. However, he doesn’t realize that approaching Madeleine (Laura Felpin) would start a significant new chapter in his life called “love.”

Featuring an especially compelling pair of comedians, “Love is Overrated” demonstrates, despite its protagonist’s cynicism, that love is the finest remedy for misfortune. Underneath its guise of a particularly sharp comedy, Mourad Winter’s debut film is primarily a poignant attempt to reconcile with life following the harrowing ordeal of grief.

A bold comedy that spares no one, “Love is Overrated” quickly reveals itself to be a touching modern fable, capable of reconciling a generation that has lost faith in love with their forgotten dreams.

A debut feature in competition for the grand prize at the Alpe d’Huez International Comedy Film Festival, set to debut in cinemas starting April 23.