At the 63rd Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Tunisia was the only Arab country represented in the international competition, with Mohamed Ali Nahdi’s “Round 13” as its entry. Yet when jury member Yasmine Al Massri acknowledged participating countries during the closing ceremony, Tunisia’s name was missing.
The omission prompted Nahdi to speak to her directly after her speech, raising a question that goes beyond a single film or festival: why was the only Arab country in the competition grouped among “other countries” rather than acknowledged by name?
“Tunisia Is Not Just Another Country”
During her remarks, Al Massri named several countries whose films had been screened at the festival before referring to the others collectively as “other countries.” Tunisia was not mentioned.
After the speech, Nahdi approached Al Massri and expressed his objection. His point was straightforward: Tunisia was not just another country; it was Tunisia, and it had a film competing in the festival. The exchange took place privately, not as a public confrontation before the audience.
According to the account of the encounter, Al Massri showed no apparent concern about his objection and offered no apology. Whether the omission was intentional or an oversight remains unknown, but the circumstances made it particularly striking: Tunisia was the only Arab country represented in the international competition.
Previous Comments Made Omission More Surprising
The incident also stood out because Al Massri and Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine had previously been interviewed at the Toronto International Film Festival during the premiere of “Palestine 36,” in which they both appeared. During that conversation, Al Massri spoke about Tunisia in warm and respectful terms.
As a Palestinian actress, she is also familiar with Tunisia’s longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian cause and the historical ties between the two peoples. Her previous comments about Tunisia made the absence of its name at Antalya all the more unexpected.
This is not about questioning her identity, her solidarity with Palestine or her artistic contribution; it is about the contrast between the appreciation she expressed previously and the omission at a moment when Tunisia’s participation deserved acknowledgment.
The Film Representing Tunisia
“Round 13” follows Kamel, a former African boxing champion who leaves the ring to raise a family. When his young son is diagnosed with a serious illness, he faces a battle that physical strength cannot resolve. Beyond its sports-drama premise, the film explores fatherhood, sacrifice and vulnerability.
A Tunisian-led co-production involving Qatar and Saudi Arabia, it brought Tunisian cinema into Antalya’s international competition. Its significance was not that it was entitled to win an award but that it had earned a place among the competing films and represented a national cinema with a long creative history.
Recognition Is Not a Prize
No filmmaker is entitled to an award because of nationality. Festival juries must remain independent and judge films on artistic merit, but acknowledging a country’s participation is not the same as awarding its film.
International festival selections create opportunities for filmmakers to reach new audiences, develop professional connections and pursue distribution. For Tunisian cinema, such visibility matters, particularly when it is the sole Arab representative in a competition.
Nahdi was not asking for preferential treatment; he was asking for Tunisia to be recognized by name rather than absorbed into a general category.
Whether the omission was accidental or deliberate remains unknown. What remains clear is that the incident raises a broader question about recognition and solidarity in international cinema. Tunisia was there. “Round 13” was competing. Its director was there to represent his film and his country. A film does not need to win a prize to deserve recognition, and a country that has earned its place in competition should not have to remind anyone of its name.
TunisianMonitorNews (Mabrouka Ghanmi)
