Venice International Film Festival 2024 Giornate degli Autori
– “Soudan, Souviens-toi” directed by Hind Meddeb, Tunisia, France, Sudan: A documentary on the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, focusing on the plight and resilience of the nation’s youth amidst poverty and war. The film provides a platform for young Sudanese voices fighting against oppression and captures the spirit of resistance that pervades their daily lives.
Locarno Film Festival 2024, Concorso Cineasti del Presente
– “Hanami” by Denise Fernandes, Cape Verde: a Cape Verde-Switzerland-Portugal co-production, making its world premiere. This debut feature explores identity and belonging through the story of Nana, a young girl on a transformative journey on a volcanic island, blending reality with magical realism.
Venice International Film Festival 2024, Critics’ Week:
– “Perfumed With Mint” directed by Muhammed Hamdy, Egypt, France, and Tunisia: A group of old friends reunite amid their city’s ruins as mint sprouts from their bodies, and photographs of past residents scatter around, as they are pursued by relentless shadows. This story blends historical elements with horror, exploring memory and survival in a surreal environment.
Locarno Film Festival 2024, Concorso Cineasti del Presente
– “Les Enfants Rouges (Red Path)” by Lotfi Achour, Tunisia: A Tunisia-France-Belgium-Poland co-production, also in its world premiere. Based on real events, this second feature from Achour depicts the psychological aftermath of a terrorist attack on a young shepherd in rural Tunisia, employing a minimalist style to explore trauma and supernatural elements.
Venice International Film Festival 2024, In Competition
– “Anywhere Anytime” by Milad Tangshir, Italy: Issa is a young illegal immigrant living in Turin, Italy, trying to survive as best as he can. Fired by his previous employer, he begins working as a food-delivery rider, thanks to his friend. However, this newly gained stability collapses when, during a drop-off, the bicycle he has just spent all his money on is stolen. Issa immediately embarks on a desperate odyssey through the streets of the city to find his bike.
Venice International Film Festival 2024, Orizzonti Competition
– “Aicha” by Mehdi M. Barsaoui, Tunisia (The Next Two Clips): Aya, in her late twenties, still lives with her parents in southern Tunisia and feels trapped in a life without prospects. One day, the minivan in which she commutes daily between her town and the hotel where she works crashes. As the sole survivor of the accident, she realizes it could be her chance to start a new life. She flees to Tunis under a new identity, but everything is soon compromised when she becomes the main witness to a police blunder.
“Aicha 1”
“Aicha 2”
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2024 Discovery
– “Freedom Way” directed by Afolabi Olalekan, Nigeria: A start-up faces unfavorable government laws and police harassment, causing a ripple effect in the lives of nine individuals, setting them on a collision course.
Locarno Film Festival 2024, Concorso Internazionale
– “Agora” by Ala Eddine Slim, Tunisia (The Next Two Clips): This Tunisia-France-Saudi Arabia-Qatar co-production is described as a surreal story about the return of three missing persons to their hometown, upsetting the established order. The news must be kept quiet, but the plot thickens and several people become involved. All this takes place in the imaginary dream of a blue bitch and a black crow.
“Agora 1”
“Agora 2”