Filmed in Tunisia, Wanderers of the Desert is a 1984 film by writer and director Nacer Khemir. It is a Sufi tale, based on a poem, a quest for roots, love and freedom. In this dusty story, magic and reality overlap to sing the beauty of the desert. It combines poetry with mystique in a metaphorical fable which forces the viewer's perception of reality and forces the viewer to look behind the visible - without giving any clue. The filmmaker, through carefully planned shots and sequences and the poetry of his writing, pays an homage to the splendor of Arabian culture.
A young teacher arrives at a village built on the border of the desert where children have never been to school. Apart from the children, the village is inhabited by elderly men, women, and a mysterious and beautiful young girl. The men left to seek the boundaries of the limitless desert. The teacher is finally captivated by the shimmering world of sand and the Andalusia melody of its wanderers.
A young teacher arrives at a village built on the border of the desert where children have never been to school. Apart from the children, the village is inhabited by elderly men, women, and a mysterious and beautiful young girl. The men left to seek the boundaries of the limitless desert. The teacher is finally captivated by the shimmering world of sand and the Andalusia melody of its wanderers.