Broadcast during the sacred month of Ramadan, the Tunisian soap opera El Fetna, directed by Sawssen Jemni, stands out as a daring work which plunges into the depths of family heritage, a theme as old as they are universal.
Through a captivating intrigue, colorful characters and subtle scriptwriting treatment, the series addresses complex questions related to transmission, power struggles and invisible injuries that shape the family dynamics.
The inheritance, whether material or intangible, is at the heart of El Fetna. The series revolves around a fierce battle for the control of family goods, but which begins as a simple conflict of property quickly turns into a broader reflection on the values, memories and injuries left by past generations.
Through his characters, the work asks existential questions about the way in which inheritances are received, transmitted and transformed.
Behind the material issues hide deep psychological tensions. The characters, skillfully interpreted by actors such as Rim Riahi and Mohamed Ali Ben Jemaa, embody the complexity of family relationships and the suffering of those who must face a heavy heritage to wear.
Their struggles are not only against other family members, but against their own demons, buried secrets and overwhelming expectations imposed by society.
Director Sawssen Jemni, already recognized for her ability to deal with sensitive social subjects, hitherto succeeded in capturing the emotional intensity of viewers she manages to create a palpable tension between the characters, while offering a reflection on the way in which the inheritance can be a burden or a blessing, depending on the way in which he is perceived and accepted.
However, if El Fetna seduces with its depth and the relevance of its themes, certain aspects can nevertheless leave the spectator on its hunger after the first two episodes broadcast.
The narrative construction, although rich, sometimes takes a rhythm a little too slow. The development of secondary characters, although relevant, sometimes lacks nuance, their actions sometimes boiling down to predictable archetypes which are struggling to surprise.
