Tunis (AFP)
A Tunisian film dedicated to the difficulties of a mother to conquer her happiness despite a marriage undermined by violence, "Nour dream", and two other films made by women were awarded at the end of the Carthage Film Days (CGC) Saturday night in Tunis.
"Noura Rêve", expected this month, is carried by two Tunisian stars, the Egyptian-based actress Hend Sabry, torn between husband and lover, and comedian Lotfi Adbelli, husband looser domineering.
This film by director Hinde Boujemaa won the Golden Tanit of the thirtieth edition of the JCC, the supreme reward of this festival dedicated to Arab and African cinema. Hend Sabri also wins the Best Actress Award.
Conjugal rape, unfaithfulness, corruption and inaction of the police: "we raise taboo topics to launch a social dialogue, because in Tunisia and the Arab world we rarely talk about it," Hend Sabri told reporters.
For MP Bochra Belhadj Hmida, the film evoked "violence against women in all its forms", showing an "awareness" even if "the road is still long".
Two other films worn by strong female characters were also awarded.
"Atlantique", a Senegalese tale about the illegal migration seen by the women who stayed on the bank, whom the drowned come to haunt, received the Tanit d'Argent. This film by Franco-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The Bronze Tanit was awarded to a Saudi film, "Scales", about the fate of a girl her father refuses to sacrifice to the sea according to an ancestral tradition, and who becomes an outcast in resisting patriarchal superstitions.
This black and white fable was directed by Shahed Ameen, the first Saudi filmmaker to present a film at the festival since its launch in 1966.
"I want to insist that life is sacred, that it is more important than the imposed laws and traditions," the director told AFP.
"It's a black and white film to show that this village is arid, lifeless, a village that refuses progress and focuses on retrograde customs," she says.
"Arab society is persecuting women", but it is time for them to reconcile with themselves and face obstacles.
Of the 12 feature films in competition at this edition of the JCC, five works were made by women.
© 2019 AFP