Aïcha
Spring Grants 2023 - Production Stage
Mehdi M. Barsaoui / Feature Narrative / France, Tunisia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar / 100 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Thriller
Synopsis
How far can we go to break free from our past?
Twenty-eight-year-old Aya is an ordinary young woman. She lives in Tozeur, a city in southern Tunisia, at the gates of the desert. To earn a living, she holds multiple jobs in the hotel industry. Between social dictates, family pressures and disillusionment, Aya is not the happiest girl in the world. One day, misfortune befalls her. Aya doesn’t know it yet, but it will be the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to her. It’s an unexpected opportunity for this young woman to start from scratch, to start her life all over again. What are we capable of in order to be free? How far can we go to break free from our past? Aya will never be the same person again.
Credits
- Director
- Mehdi M. Barsaoui
- Screenwriter
- Mehdi M. Barsaoui
- Producer
- Habib Attia & Marc Irmer
- Production Company
- Dolce Vita Films (France) , Cinétéléfilms (Tunisia) , Dorje Films (Italy)
About the Director
Born in 1984 in Tunis, Mehdi Barsaoui graduated in editing from the Higher Institute of Multimedia Arts in Tunis. He then went to Italy to complete his training and graduated as a director from DAMS in Bologna. He has directed three short films, which have received recognition and awards at several international festivals. His first feature film 'A Son' started its international career in the official selection at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival, where it received two awards. Distributed in twenty countries and winning multiple awards all over the world, 'A Son' was the first Tunisian film to win a French César Award. Mehdi is currently working on his second feature film.