“As the rigors of the trek become more grueling, the revelations grow more intimate.
In the funniest scene, the men take turns stripping naked and talking about their bodies…
DESERT WIND manages to take us to a seldom-visited place:
the hidden corners of the straight male mind.”
– Dana Stevens, The New York Times

“Tracks thirteen men who have been brought together for a two-week trek in the Tunisian desert…
the true subject matter is the men’s worries,
their thoughts on relationships, and, in general, the psyche of the modern male…
Watching the subjects’ emotional inhibitions get gradually peeled away is often fascinating.”
– Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine

“Led by a Swiss psychotherapist, the men confront their emotions
and explode our beer-and-football notions of male bonding…
their newfound openness with each other and themselves
makes for funny, moving and riveting viewing.”
– Steve Gartland, The L Magazine

WOMEN TALK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS; MEN TALK ABOUT COMPUTERS. What does it take to get a dozen regular guys, ages 32–70, from various backgrounds (a doctor, engineer, human resources consultant, probation officer, cook) to reveal their emotions? DESERT WIND takes them on a trek in the Tunisian desert, where a psychologist encourages them to talk about everything from what they like and don’t like about their bodies to their recollections of childhood and marriage traumas. Against the dramatic, ascetic beauty of golden sand dunes and brilliant skies, these men reveal secrets even they didn’t know they had. Today’s “reality shows” aren’t the least bit real – they’re all about carefully calculated exhibitionism. To make DESERT WIND, director François Kohler established a strong bond with Swiss psychotherapist Alexis Burger and these participants. It’s funny and sad, surprisingly moving, and a lot more compelling than a typical guy’s night out.

• Official website for DESERT WIND
• Dr. Alexis Burger’s website (In French)
• Subscribe to Film Forum podcasts – This week’s podcast: Q&A with Dr. Alexis Burger and 3 participants from the film DESERT WIND. (Recorded 2/15/06)