Tunisian Filmmaker Erige Sehiri Wins Best Actress Award at Critics Awards for Arab Films
At the 10th edition of the Critics Awards for Arab Films, organized by the Arab Cinema Center in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival, Tunisian filmmaker Erige Sehiri's film "Promis le ciel" (Promised Sky) took home the award for Best Female Performance, given to actress Deborah Christelle Naney. This is another recognition for Tunisian cinema at the 79th edition of the film market.
"Promis le ciel" Confirms Erige Sehiri's Unique Path
"Promis le ciel" confirms the singular path of Erige Sehiri, whose cinema explores themes of migration, identity, and social coexistence. Her first fiction film tackles the issue of migration, more relevant than ever. The film was presented in the "Un certain regard" section at Cannes and has already been screened at the latest Carthage Film Festival, where it also won a special mention for Best Actress, again for Deborah Christelle Naney in the film "Promised Sky".
Erige Sehiri Emerges as a Leading Voice in Maghrebi Cinema
Since "Sous les figues" (Under the Figs), presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in 2022, Erige Sehiri has been establishing herself as one of the most important voices in contemporary Maghrebi cinema. Her approach is unique: she remains at the border between documentary and fiction. "Promis le ciel" was her first fiction film.
A Dominant Presence of Tunisian Cinema
This award comes at a time when the Palestinian cinema is dominating the edition. The Best Film award went to "Once Upon a Time in Gaza" by brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser, while Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir stood out for "Palestine 36". However, amidst this engaged palmarès, the Tunisian presence has particularly dominated the film market.
