‘The Blind Orchestra’ takes top prize at Carthage film festival
The awards ceremony, hosted by Egyptian TV personality Bassem Youssef at Tunis’s municipal theatre, took place under heavy security
Moroccan director Mohammed Mouftakir’s “L’Orchestre des Aveugles” (The Blind Orchestra) took the Tanit d’Or Saturday at the Carthage Film Festival, blighted earlier in the week by a suicide bombing in the Tunisian capital.
The Tanit d’Argent was awarded to “The Endless River”, by South Africa’s Oliver Hermanus, while the Tanit de Bronze went to “A Peine J’ouvre les Yeux” (As I Open My Eyes) by Tunisia’s Leyla Bouzid.
Meanwhile, Nabil Ayouch’s “Much Loved”, banned at home in Morocco, won the Jury Prize.
The awards ceremony, hosted by satirical Egyptian TV personality Bassem Youssef at Tunis’s municipal theatre, took place under heavy security.
On Tuesday, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a bus carrying presidential security guards in Tunis, killing 12 of them.
That was the latest in a string of terror attacks in the North African country, birthplace of the ill-fated Arab Spring.
Earlier this year, militant gunmen killed 59 foreign tourists in attacks on the national museum and on a popular seaside resort.
Tunisian filmmaker Salma Baccar said at the beginning of the ceremony that “we don’t feel the same joy we usually feel in our hearts, but (the festival) is a challenge to those who have a culture of death.”
Just after Tuesday’s suicide bombing, festival director Ibrahim Letaief said there was no question of cancelling the competition, saying that is “the only way to respond to these barbaric acts”.
The film festival, which has now completed its 26th edition, is a showcase for Arab and African artists.
The official competition included 17 feature-length films, 13 shorts and 16 documentaries.
-
Tunisia’s Carthage film festival opens amid tight security
Film-makers from Africa and the Arab world, Arab movie stars and politicians walked down the red carpet Variety -
Latin America wins big at 72nd Venice Film Festival
Films from Latin America won two of the top prizes at the 72nd Venice Film Festival on Saturday, with Venezuelan director Lorenzo Vigas getting the ... Variety -
War, migrants' plight lend somber tone to Venice Film Fest
Five words sum up this year's Venice Film Festival: "Based on a true story." Fashion and beauty -
Arab tragedy, optimism reflected in leading Oran film festival
The tragedy of failed democratic revolution stamped its mark on this year’s Oran International Arab Film Festival, held this month in the ... Art and culture -
Ten kilos of explosives used in Tunis bomb
The authorities imposed a nationwide state of emergency and a 9:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew in the capital following the bombing Middle East