Tunisian Actor Helmi Dridi Wins Best Actor Award at Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival

Helmi Dridi, a renowned Tunisian actor, has taken home the Best Actor award at the sixth edition of the Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival (AMFF) for his role in the feature film "13 Round" directed by Mohamed-Ali Nahdi. The movie is a gripping drama that explores the themes of resilience and modern struggles.

Meanwhile, the project "The Corner Where I Met You" by director Yasmine Bouabid received a special mention in the film industry section (first film category).

The Golden Gazelle award, the festival's top prize, was jointly awarded to two Egyptian films: the feature film "Aisha Can't Fly Away" by Morad Mostafa and the short film "The Last of Miracles" by Abdel-Wahab Chawqi. The Libyan film "My Father and Qaddafi" by Jihan K. won the top prize in the documentary competition.

The sixth edition of the festival, held from April 24 to 30, 2026, featured a Tunisian jury consisting of director Ibrahim Letaïef and actress Souhir Ben Amara for fiction feature films, as well as producer Mohamed Slim Hfaiedh for short films.

Presented in the official competition, "13 Round" is Mohamed-Ali Nahdi's second feature film, following four short films. The 1h50 drama, written by Sophia Haoues, stars Helmi Dridi (Kamel), Afef Ben Mahmoud (Samia), and Lamine Nahdi.

The film follows the journey of Kamel, a former boxer, whose life is turned upside down when his son is diagnosed with a tumor. "13 Round" has already been selected and awarded at several international events, including the Cairo Film Festival in Egypt, the Shiraz Film Festival in Iran, and the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia.

In Tunisia, the film was screened at a special out-of-competition session during the 36th edition of the Carthage Film Days (JCC) on December 13-20, 2025.

This international co-production, involving Tunisia, Cyprus, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, is supported by the National Center for Cinema and Image (CNCI).