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Les enfants rouges

Lofti Achour
DISTRIBUTION
Fri 23 May 25 - Mon 16 Jun 25
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age
  • Violence

It shows the atrocities a person can endure and how they cope with those traumatic experiences: sadness, anger, denial, fear. Despite the violence, there is hope in memory, in the comfort found in being with family, and in the resilience of each individual.

While grazing their herd in the mountains and playing by a water source, two teenagers are attacked by terrorists. Sixteen-year-old Nizar is killed. Fourteen-year-old Ashraf must deliver a macabre message to his family. Based on true events, the film focuses on the trauma and grief caused by the murder.

With particularly confident cinematography and direction, the film explores friendship and the processing of a traumatic, violent event that children endure as victims of political and religious violence. The film is filled with poetic imagery, emotionally powerful scenes, natural and raw performances, and a beautiful soundtrack with a touching final song. A comforting film about grief.

direction
Lofti Achour
cast
Eya Bouteraa, Wided Dabebi, Latifa Gafsi, Noureddine Hamami, Ali Hleli
duration
97 min
release date
Wed 21 May 25
year
2024
country
Tunesia
language
Arabic
Subtitles
Dutch
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age
  • Violence

The casting is strong, particularly amongst the youngsters, with Helali remarkably adept at letting Ashraf’s warring emotions ripple below the surfac, and Wided Dabebi also compelling as Nizar’s young girlfriend.