Un fils

  • 95'
  • Tunisia
  • 2019

A cosy family holiday ends in disaster for Fares (Sami Bouajila) and his wife Meriem (Najla Ben Abdallah). As they accidentally drive past an exchange of fire between Islamic militants, their son Aziz (Youssef Khemiri, 11) in the back seat is hit by a stray bullet. In the accident & emergency ward, the wealthy Tunisian couple face a new problem: Aziz needs a donor organ, but it can't be from them.

Mehdi M. Barsaoui's film debut is a balanced, nerve-wracking family drama that delicately critiques patriarchal traditions in Tunisia. Set in 2011, just after the Jasmine Revolution, the country is already changing, but Fares and Meriem have lost all hope for the future. Bouajila and Abdallah deliver impressive performances as the desperate couple who have shrinking options for saving Aziz. Then Barsaoui takes us outside the pastel colours of the hospital, revealing how you can get organs in grim, illegal ways.

  • 95'
  • Tunisia
  • 2019
Director
Mehdi M. Barsaoui
Countries of production
Tunisia, France, Lebanon, Qatar
Year
2019
Festival Edition
IFFR 2020
Length
95'
Medium
DCP
International title
A Son
Languages
Arabic, French
Producers
Habib Attia, Marc Irmer, Chantal Fischer
Production Companies
Cinetelefilms, Dolce Vita Films Paris, 13 Production
Sales
Jour2Fête
Screenplay
Mehdi M. Barsaoui
Cinematography
Antoine Héberlé
Editor
Camille Toubkis
Production Design
Sophie Abdelkafi
Music
Amine Bouhafa
Cast
Najla Ben Abdallah, Sami Bouajila
Local Distributor
Cinéart Netherlands
Director
Mehdi M. Barsaoui
Countries of production
Tunisia, France, Lebanon, Qatar
Year
2019
Festival Edition
IFFR 2020
Length
95'
Medium
DCP
International title
A Son
Languages
Arabic, French
Producers
Habib Attia, Marc Irmer, Chantal Fischer
Production Companies
Cinetelefilms, Dolce Vita Films Paris, 13 Production
Sales
Jour2Fête
Screenplay
Mehdi M. Barsaoui
Cinematography
Antoine Héberlé
Editor
Camille Toubkis
Production Design
Sophie Abdelkafi
Music
Amine Bouhafa
Cast
Najla Ben Abdallah, Sami Bouajila
Local Distributor
Cinéart Netherlands