The 36th Carthage Film Festival (JCC) launched under the spotlight on Saturday evening at the Opera Theatre of the City of Culture, inaugurating a week-long celebration of Arab and African cinema set to run until December 20.
The opening ceremony drew a significant gathering of film professionals from across Tunisia, the Arab world, Africa, and beyond, with attendees also arriving from Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
The evening was marked by poignant homages. A special tribute to Lebanese cultural icon Ziad Rahbani featured a clip from Farouk Beloufa’s Nahla, followed by a musical performance of Rahbani classics by pianist Omar El Ouaer and artist Mariem Abidi. The festival also paid respect to cinematic giants, honoring Tunisian-born international actress Claudia Cardinale, Algeria’s Mohamed Lakhdar-Hamina, Mali’s Souleymane Cissé, Benin’s Pauline Soumanou Vieyra, and Lebanon’s Walid Chmait.
In recognition of local industry pillars, Tunisian producer Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka received the Honourary Tanit Award for his lifetime contribution to film.
The ceremony served as a launchpad for the competitions, introducing the various juries before the screening of the opening film, Palestine 36 by Annemarie Jacir. The film, which is Palestine’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards, was attended by its cast and crew, underscoring a central theme of this year’s event.
Competitive Line-Up and Thematic Emphasis
The festival’s core official competitions present a diverse slate:
- The feature-length fiction film competition, chaired by Palestinian director Najwa Najjar, includes entries from Nigeria, Sudan, Iraq, Chad, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Palestine. Tunisia is represented by three films: Erige Sehiri’s The Sky Without Earth, Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, and Amal Guellaty’s Where the Wind Comes From.
- The feature-length documentary competition, headed by Tunisian director Raja Amari, features 12 works, including three from Tunisia.
- The short film competition is chaired by Iraqi director Hikmat Al-Baydani.
The Palestinian cause holds a pronounced presence, notably with the screening of Rashid Masharawi’s documentary From Ground Zero, shot during the ongoing conflict in Gaza following October 7, 2023.
Broadening Horizons and Industry Development
Beyond the competitions, the festival opens windows to global cinema with its “Cinema Under the Microscope” segment dedicated this year to Armenian, Filipino, and Spanish works. Additional programs highlight contemporary Arab cinema and a “Green Cinema” section focused on environmental themes.
The industry-focused Carthage Pro platform (Dec. 15-18) will convene to support developing film projects from the Arab and African regions.
True to its founding spirit of accessibility, the festival continues its outreach initiatives: Carthage Film Days will bring screenings to prisons, military barracks, and cities across Tunisia. The program is further enriched by intellectual forums and the presentation of new cinema publications.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
