Director: | Mehdi Barsaoui |
---|---|
Production: | Cinetelefilms (Habib Attia), Dolce Vita Films (Marc Irmer), Dorje Films (Flaminio Zadra), 13 Prods (Chantal Fischer) |
Running Time: | 123’ |
Language: | Arabic |
Country: | Tunisia, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar |
Main Cast: | Fatma Sfar, Nidhal Saadi, Yasmine Dimassi, Hela Ayed |
Screenplay: | Mehdi M. Barsaoui |
Cinematographer: | Antoine Héberlé |
Editor: | Camille Toubkis |
Production Designer: | Sophie Abdelkafi |
Costume Designer: | Randa Khedher |
Music: | Amine Bouhafa |
Sound: | Stefano Campus, Dario Calvari, Simone Chiossi, Simone Usai |
Aïcha
synopsis
Aya, in her late twenties, feels trapped in her life with her parents in southern Tunisia, seeing no prospects for change. One day, the minivan she commutes in daily between her town and the hotel where she works crashes, leaving her as the sole survivor. Realising this could be her chance for a fresh start, she flees to Tunis under a new identity, but everything is soon jeopardised when she becomes the main witness to a police blunder.
director's statement
Does one have to die to be free in Tunisia? Has death become the only resort to reach true emancipation? These questions inspired the genesis of Aïcha. The film delves into the lives of Tunisian youth, whose dreams are too often denied. It is also a film about new beginnings and second chances and the multifaceted pressures on Tunisian society, particularly on women. Aïcha portrays a quest for freedom and the desire to live life to the fullest—a paradox where true freedom for the protagonist can only be attained through her death. In her pursuit of life, Aïcha faces numerous obstacles: family authority, submissiveness, misogyny, sexism—and more generally women’s place in society. Above all, she confronts the corruption and oppression of the police, their omnipresence and omnipotence over the population.
Production/Distribution
PRODUCTION 1: CINETELEFILMS – Attia Habib
23, rue Andalousie, borj baccouche
2080, Ariana, Tunisia
Tel. 216 23449001
mh.attia@cinetelefilms.net
PRODUCTION 2: DOLCE VITA FILMS – Marc Irmer
13 boulevard de Rochechouart
75009, Paris, France
Tel. 33 1 48 78 70 21
PRODUCTION 3: DORJE FILMS – Flamino Zadra
Viale Gioacchino Rossini, 18
00198, Roma, Italia
Tel. 39 0669347607
PRODUCTION 4: 13 PRODS – Chantal Fischer
9 rue J.-F. Leca
13002, Marseille, France
Tel. 33 04 91 09 14 23
chantal.fischer@13prods.fr
WORLD SALES: Samuel Blanc/ Mathilde Colle - THE PARTY FILMSALES
16 rue Frochot
75009, Paris, France
Tel. 33 6 23 10 83 26
sales@thepartysales.com
ITALIAN DISTRIBUTION: I WONDER PICTURES
Tel : 39 051 40 70 166
PRESS OFFICE: Brigitta Portier
Alibi Communications
Diestsestraat 69 bus 2.01
3270 Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Belgium
Tel. 32 477 98 25 84
brigittaportier@alibicommunications.be