36th Edition of the Arab Film Festival in Fameck-Val de Fensch
The 36th edition of the Arab Film Festival in Fameck-Val de Fensch, taking place from October 2 to 12, 2025, will honor Tunisian cinema with a notable participation of six films directed by Tunisian or Franco-Tunisian filmmakers. This major event of Arab cinema in France promises to be rich in discoveries, debates, and emotions.
Tunisian Cinema Takes Center Stage
Tunisia is strongly represented in the programming of the Arab Film Festival in Fameck-Val de Fensch. As revealed in the festival's official newsletter, the program of this 36th edition confirms the presence of six Tunisian works competing in the main competitions. This remarkable visibility testifies to the vitality of Tunisian cinema on the international scene.
Documentary Films
In the Documentary Film category, two Tunisian films stand out: "La vie qui nous reste" by Dorra Zarrouk and "Sh'Hili" by Habib Ayeb. Zarrouk's documentary explores with emotion the traces left by absence and the resilience of survivors, while Ayeb's film, specializing in agro-ecological issues, focuses on Tunisian rural and social memory.
Public Prize
On the side of the Public Prize, "Reine Mère" by Manele Labidi is competing among five selected films. The director, known for her tone that is both committed and biting, offers a feminist, tender, and satirical look at contemporary Tunisian society.
Other Notable Films
Two other films, which shone at the last Cannes Film Festival, "Promis le ciel" by Erige Sehiri and "La petite dernière" by Hafsia Herzi, are featured in the selection of the Press Prize. Sehiri, already noticed with "Sous les figues," returns with a sensitive drama about exile and memory. Her film is also selected for the Young Jury Prize, alongside "Le pont" by Walid Mattar, a poignant work about social and generational fractures.
Jury and Guests
The Tunisian actor Majd Mastoura, a César-winning actor and familiar face at major festivals, is part of the Grand Prix jury. He will sit alongside President Khalil Joreige, a Franco-Lebanese filmmaker and artist, as well as Franco-Algerian actor Abbes Zahman, actor Jil Alma, and cultural engineer Michèle Paradon.
Festival Program
This 36th edition offers a wide panorama of 47 films, including 35 feature films and 12 short films, covering a wide range of genres: fiction, animation, documentary. The festival honors works from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Europe. Palestinian cinema holds a central place, presented as a tool of memory and resistance, with powerful and committed films.
Special Events
The festival will also feature several highlights, including a round table in partnership with the French Film Critics' Syndicate and Mediapart, thematic evenings dedicated to comedy and crime, special screenings, and a tribute to Algerian filmmaker Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina. The director Costa-Gavras, honorary patron of the festival, will be present on October 3 and 4, alongside journalist Edwy Plenel, for exceptional meetings and screenings.
Context and Mission
This 2025 edition opens in a troubled global context, marked by conflicts and persistent violence. The selected films, often poignant and deeply human, come to testify to collective and individual wounds, but also to the hope and resilience that animate Arab societies. The Arab Film Festival in Fameck-Val de Fensch remains faithful to its mission: to make cinema a mirror of reality, a space of memory, resistance, and emotion.
