The Franco-Arab Film Festival (FFFA), opening November 7, once again turns its lens on the compelling and often turbulent narratives of the Arab world. This year’s edition offers a cinematic journey through Tunisia, Palestine, Sudan, and Egypt, using film as a window into revolutions, resistance, and the quest for identity.
The festival opens with a focus on Iraq, presenting the bittersweet fable “The President’s Cake,” before shifting its primary focus to the vibrant cinema of Tunisia.
“We chose Tunisia this year because its cinema—particularly documentary—has always been very alive, and because of the clear historical bridges with Palestine,” explained Mathilde Rouxel, the festival’s artistic director. “It’s important to recall that Tunisia hosted the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization from 1982 to 1985.”
Honored Guest and Revolutionary Documentaries
A key highlight is the presence of Franco-Tunisian documentarian Hind Meddeb, the festival’s guest of honor. She will present three of her works:
- “Electro Chaâbi” explores the Egyptian revolution through its popular electronic music.
- “Soudan, souviens-toi” (Sudan, Remember) captures the poetic fervor of the 2023 Sudanese revolution.
- “Tunisia Clash” examines the aftermath of the Arab Spring in Tunisia, where young rappers paid a price for their freedom of speech.
Fiction and the Dilemma of Exile
Also featured is “Belles de nuit” (Beauties of the Night), a fiction film presented by its director, Khedija Lemkecher. The film follows Yahia, a young Tunisian torn, like many of his generation, between the dream of exile and an uncertain future at home—in his case, a potential boxing career.
A Focus on Palestine and Egypt
Against the backdrop of ongoing tension in the Middle East, the festival dedicates significant space to Palestine. Films like “Alice au pays des colons” and “No Other Land” turn their gaze to the West Bank, documenting Israel’s ongoing policies of oppression. “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” is a stark reminder of the brutality of bombings that occurred over two years and continue sporadically, despite an October 9, 2025 ceasefire.
The cinematic tour concludes in Egypt with “The Settlement” and “Le Printemps vint en riant” (Spring Came Laughing). “One is a dark film about class struggle and mourning, the other is made of five short stories about five Egyptian women, none of which take the expected turn,” Rouxel described.
This rich selection is just a sample of the festival’s offerings, which will present 53 films from 23 different countries, promising a powerful visual voyage into the heart of the Arab world.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
