Tribute to a Pioneer: Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka Honored with a Tanit d'Honneur
The Carthage Film Festival (JCC) paid tribute to a behind-the-scenes hero of Tunisian cinema, Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka, by awarding him a Tanit d'Honneur. This recognition honors a producer who has accompanied the most beautiful projects of Tunisian cinema and contributed to structuring the entire sector with consistency and conviction.
A Founding Member of Tunisian Cinema
Born in Tunis, Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka belongs to the founding generation of Tunisian cinema, for whom filmmaking was both a passion and a responsibility. His career began at the SATPEC film school, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of production mechanisms, from location scouting to studio work, and from technical constraints to financial balances. This decisive experience enabled him to create CTV Services (Cinéma, Télévision, Vidéo, Services) in 1989, a structure that would become a pillar of the Tunisian audiovisual landscape.
A Clear Vision for Tunisian Cinema
Ben Mlouka imposed a clear vision: to professionalize the producer's profession, defend high standards, and offer filmmakers a solid framework to dare, experiment, and create. His company quickly became an unconditional support for several generations of directors, accompanying notable works of Tunisian cinema such as "Poupées d'argile" and "Making of" by Nouri Bouzid, "Bedwin Hacker" by Nedia Feni, "La Villa" by Mohamed Damak, "Fleur d'oubli" by Salma Baccar, and "Les Palmiers blessés" by Abdellatif ben Ammar, among others. These films have shaped the collective imagination and carried the uniqueness of the Tunisian gaze onto screens.
A Legacy Beyond Borders
Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka's impact extends far beyond national borders. As an executive producer on large international productions such as "Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace," "Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones," and "Flandres," he contributed to making Tunisia a credible, attractive, and respected filming platform. Thanks to his expertise, organizational skills, and ability to dialogue with major studios, he opened up Tunisian cinema to collaborations of scope and inscribed the country on the world map of production.
A Lifetime of Dedication
Throughout his career, Abdelaziz Ben Mlouka has never ceased to defend a often-invisible but essential profession and a sector he has contributed to structuring, professionalizing, and perpetuating. By awarding him a Tanit d'Honneur, the 36th edition of the Carthage Film Festival celebrates more than an exemplary career – it salutes a commitment. That of a producer for whom cinema was not only an industry but a human, cultural, and memorial adventure. A man who, in discretion and fidelity to cinema, has helped write some of its most beautiful pages.
