The Tunisian production “Al-Haribat” (The Runaways) was the standout winner at the 26th Carthage Theatre Days (JTC), taking home the prestigious Golden Tanit during the festival’s closing ceremony on Saturday.
Held at the City of Culture’s Chedli Klibi Opera House, the event drew a crowd of prominent artists, creators, and theatre enthusiasts from across Tunisia, the Arab world, and Africa.
Directed by Wafa Tabboubi, “Al-Haribat” achieved a triple victory, also securing the awards for Best Actress, awarded to Lobna Noomen, and Best Script, which went to Tabboubi herself. This marks Tabboubi’s second Golden Tanit, having previously won the top prize at the 2021 edition with her play “Akher Marra.”
The Silver Tanit was awarded to the Iraqi play “Al-Jidar” (The Wall), directed by Sinan Mohsin al-Azzawi, while the Bronze Tanit went to “Jacaranda,” a Tunisian production directed by Nizar Saidi.
The ceremony also honored several veteran figures of the stage, including academician Mohamed Masoud Idris, actor Abdelhamid Guayas, actress-director Leila Toubal, and actress Aziza Boulabiar.
This year’s festival featured intense competition, with twelve theatrical works from nations including Tunisia, Palestine, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and several sub-Saharan African countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. The international jury was chaired by Tunisian director Lassaad Ben Abdallah.
In his closing remarks, Mounir Argui, Chairman of the JTC Organising Committee, highlighted the festival’s role as a vibrant platform for creativity and dialogue. He noted that this edition coincided with the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, reinforcing the event’s support for the cause.
Argui also pointed to the festival’s diverse programming, which included the inaugural International Theatre Forum, the “Theatre of Freedom” section featuring works from prison units, and various training workshops. He praised the strong public turnout, calling the audience the “true sponsor of the event,” before officially closing the edition and calling for preparations to begin for the next.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
