Two Tunisian films will be present at the 14th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival which will be held from January 9 to 14, 2025 in Egypt.
Thus, the two Tunisian films will participate in the official competition. These are the feature film “Asfour Jenna” by director Mourad Ben Cheikh, in competition with 12 other films, and the short film “Loading” by director and screenwriter Anis Lassoued in competition with 13 other films.
This official competition brings together films from several countries, namely Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Cameroon.
The feature film “Asfour Jenna” (90 min), released in theaters on September 25, 2024, is the first feature film and the first comedy by Mourad Ben Cheikh. It addresses the issue of marriage between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man in Tunisia, through a satirical critique of customs and traditions, while promoting religious tolerance and acceptance of difference.
The short film “Loading” (2024) stars actors Salah Mseddi and Mohamed Ali Nahdi. It was screened as a world premiere during the 35th edition of the Carthage Cinematographic Days (JCC) in 2024.
This edition of the Luxor African Film Festival pays posthumous tribute to five African cultural figures: the Tunisian journalist and film critic Khemais Khayati, the Egyptian screenwriter Atef Beshai, the Moroccan artist and director Tayeb Saddiki, the Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye , and the Franco-Mauritanian actor, director, screenwriter and producer Med Hondo.
The tribute will also be paid to artists: the Tunisian actor Ahmed Hafiane, the Egyptian Khaled El Nabawy, the Egyptian screenwriter and director Magdi Ahmed Ali, the Senegalese director and producer Moussa Sène Absa, and the Ghanaian actress Akosua Busia.
