Last night, the Cité de la Culture Opera welcomed the opening ceremony of the 35th edition of Carthage Cinematographic Days (JCC). An event which, as every year, has brought together emblematic figures of Tunisian cinema and many artists from several countries of the world.
Among the prestigious guests, we noted the presence of Lebanese actress Diamand Abou Abboud, heroine of the film Arzé,, of the Egyptian director Khaled Mansour, who came to present his film Seeking Haven For Mr Ramboor the Palestinian actor Mahmoud Bakri, actor of the film To a landnown by Mahdi Fleifel, or Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, who came in particular to present his film Ground zeroshot in Gaza by Gazaouis filmmakers. All these films are scheduled for JCC. Tunisian film teams were also there, especially those of The bridge from Walid Mattar And Aïcha by Mehdi Barsaoui. Director Salma Baccar, member of the jury of the fiction feature films competition, was also present; His latest film Ennafoura/The Golden House will be presented in a special session.
An edition under the sign of memory and solidarity
The 2023 JCC edition had not taken place, canceled as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian people, victim of a bloody massacre which is still continuing. However, many were those who challenged this decision, believing that it would have been fairer to maintain the festival while dedicating it to the Palestinian cinema. Palestinian filmmakers themselves had expressed their desire to have a platform to carry their voices and tell their stories. To cancel the festival, it was, according to them, to stifle their stories at a time when they deserved to be shown. Other festivals, Like that of El Gouna, had chosen this path, illustrating active and constructive solidarity.
This year, another challenge marked the preparations: the death last Thursday of the great actor Fethi Heddaoui. Adored by Tunisians, he left a huge void in the hearts of his admirers and peers. Some voices were then raised to request the cancellation or postponement of this edition, but that was materially impossible. A festival like the JCC is a huge machine mobilizing hundreds of people and generating a vital economic activity for many trades, but they had already been deprived of it last year, it was out of the question to redo the same thing this year. In addition, foreign guests had already arrived in Tunis, and reprograming such an event in a few days was the impossible.
In addition, as they claimed by several relatives of Fethi Heddaoui, the latter knew very well the importance of this festival, both for cinema professionals and for moviegoers, who all await this event impatiently, that he would have liked the JCC to be held, with a tribute in his honor. This is precisely what was done, in line with the well -known adage: The show must go on. For example, Hussein Fahmy, president of the Cairo International Film Festival, had maintained the edition of his festival despite the death of his own brother, actor Mustafa Fahmy, a few days before the opening. Similarly, in 2016, Ms. Magda Wassef, then president of the Cairo Festival also maintained the festival, while honoring actor Mahmoud Abdelaziz, who died four days before its opening.
A sober and moving ceremony
The ceremony began with a tribute to the Grand Fethi Heddaoui. Although prepared in record time, this emotional moment recalled the importance of celebrating artists who mark our cultural history. I assume that other tributes will undoubtedly be rendered during this edition, up to the immense contribution of Fethi Heddaoui.
The tribute to Khemais Khayati
A vibrant tribute was also paid to the late Khémais Khayati, renowned film critic and former editor -in -chief of the JCC daily bulletin, disappeared in 2024. This big name of cinema left an immense void in the Tunisian cinematographic landscape. That it rests in peace.
The tribute to Aïcha Ben Ahmed
Among the honored personalities, Aïcha Ben Ahmed marked the scene. Dressed in a black dress, she wanted to express her emotion by dedicating this tribute to the memory of Fethi Heddaoui. She said:
“I am proud to receive this tribute, but I am also in mourning. Fethi Heddaoui leaves a huge void. If he was there, he would have been proud of me, as he has always been. He was one of the first to support me and advise me. I dedicate this tribute to his soul. »»
The guest of honor this 35th edition ::
Senegal and Jordan have been celebrated through a video highlighting their films that will be screened during the festival.
- Senegalese cinema: a pillar of Africa
Senegal marked the history of African cinema from the beginnings of the JCC. In 1966, The black of … From Ousmane Simène, the first fictional feature of sub-Saharan Africa, won the very first Tanit of Gold. This film, both political and deeply human, retraced the sufferings of colonialism and opened the way to a committed cinema.
Since then, Senegalese cinema has asserted itself as a major player in the 7th African art. Directors like Djibril Diop Mambety (Touki Bouki,, Hyena) or more recently Alain Gomis (PraiseSilver bear in Berlin in 2017) and Mati Diop (AtlanticGrand Prix at Cannes in 2019) confirmed this creative wealth. Their films, mixing poetry, social criticism and local traditions, continue to resonate on the international scene.
- Jordanian cinema: an emerging voice
Jordanian cinema is essential with powerful works like Theeb (2014) of Naji Abu Nowara poignant adventure in the desert, named to the Oscars, or Inshallah a boy (2023) of Amjad al-Rasheedwhich explores the struggles of a widow for its rights in a patriarchal society. Selected this year at the JCC and awarded in Cannes in 2023, this last film illustrates the rise of a Jordanian cinema both deeply local and universal.
Commitment to Palestine
The festival also honored Palestine, first through the performance of the Palestinian singer Dana Salah, who interpreted two songs, and then through Hany Abu-Assad, president of the jury for fiction feature films. Emblematic director, he brought the Palestinian voice internationally, by films that have gone through the borders and harvested important prices, such as his films Omar (2013) and Paradise Now (2005), both appointed to the Oscar for the best film in a foreign language, illustrating the role of cinema as a tool for resistance and expression.
A particularly significant moment of the evening was the projection, at the end of the ceremony, of a short film, Upshot (2024), lasting 34 minutes, produced by Maha Hajj, with Mohammad Bakri and Areen Omari in the main roles. This film, of rare intensity, tells the story of a couple of living Palestinians isolated in their plantation in Gaza. Their daily life, punctuated by the memories and the love they have to their children living away from them, is imbued with a sweet melancholy. With each meal, the parents tell their children’s blows, stretching with tenderness their lives, their careers, their marriages, their children, their vacation … They sometimes even get to criticize themselves on the way they behave with each other.
One day, a journalist presenting himself as a former schoolmate of their eldest son, Khaled, hits them with them to interview them about a drama that would have marked their lives. It is at this precise moment that the film takes an unexpected turn, revealing overwhelming elements which entirely transform the understanding of the story. This narrative tilting, controlled with remarkable subtlety, invites the spectator to reconsider everything he has perceived so far.
This poignant short film illustrates with striking sobriety of human resilience in the face of an unspeakable tragedy. Sobre but terribly powerful, this film deeply moved the public present. The accuracy of the actors’ game, the delicacy of the staging and the universal scope of his message resonated in each spectator. A work that is both heartbreaking and unforgettable, which will remain engraved in memories as one of the highlights of this edition.
A sober and symbolic opening
The presentation of the films in competition and the juries followed, accompanied by a sleek decor highlighting the colorful calligraphy of the official poster. This sobriety, combined at moments of emotion and commitment, marked this opening ceremony for this JCC edition, recalling once again that despite the tests, The show must go on.
Neïla Driss
