25-year-old Alia is working as a singer at a dull wedding when she hears that Prince Sid'Ali has died. The news confronts Alia, who grew up in his palace, with her past again. She visits the palace where she spent her childhood and adolescence and where her mother was a servant. While she wanders through the deserted corridors, we experience through the eyes of the younger Alia the world of the women who were kept as luxury slaves in the palace while the struggle against colonial oppression raged outside.
In her memories, we meet her brave mother, who protected Alia against the furtive desires of the prince and we experience Alia´s painful and silent quest for the identity of her father.
This layered, emotional story is an indictment that reflects the situation of women of the later generation. In 1994, Tlatli picked up the best debut award in Cannes. More recently, following the Tunisian revolution, she was briefly Minister of Culture.
Director
Moufida Tlatli
Country of production
Tunisia
Year
1994
Festival Edition
IFFR 2014
Length
127'
Medium
35mm
Original title
Samt el Koussour
Language
Arabic
Producers
Richard Magnien, Ahmed Baha Eddine Attia
Production Company
MAT Productions
Sales
Fortissimo Films
Screenplay
Moufida Tlatli
Cinematography
Youssef Ben Youssef
Editor
Moufida Tlatli
Production Design
Claude Bennys
Sound Design
Faouzi Thabet
Music
Anouar Brahem
Cast
Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabry
Director
Moufida Tlatli
Country of production
Tunisia
Year
1994
Festival Edition
IFFR 2014
Length
127'
Medium
35mm
Original title
Samt el Koussour
Language
Arabic
Producers
Richard Magnien, Ahmed Baha Eddine Attia
Production Company
MAT Productions
Sales
Fortissimo Films
Screenplay
Moufida Tlatli
Cinematography
Youssef Ben Youssef
Editor
Moufida Tlatli
Production Design
Claude Bennys
Sound Design
Faouzi Thabet
Music
Anouar Brahem
Cast
Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabry