Fidé Fdhili, Feten Fdhili, Ameni Fdhili, Samar Sifi
Tunisia’s entry for the upcoming Oscars, Erige Sehiri’s (Railway Men) gorgeous, wistful feature debut is set in the country’s languid fig orchards, where a group of teenage girls are spending a sun-dappled summer helping to gather in the harvest.
Over the course of one hot day, the girls dream up new worlds for themselves (and bemoan the one they live in) while picking the fragile fruit. There are crushes to be reviewed, marriages to fear and fantasise about, family obligations to discuss, social changes to debate, and – away from the watchful eyes of their parents – boys to flirt with. A modern and varied group of young women living in a patriarchal society, some of them are more accepting of the demands they may face as future wives and mothers, while others seek to repudiate them.
Dramas large and small unfurl in the shade of the fig trees, drawing you in via a sound design of rustling leaves and birdsong and cinematographer Frida Marzouk’s close-up camerawork. Sehiri has crafted a gentle, soulful and naturalistic portrait of contemporary girlhood in rural north western Tunisia, its authenticity enhanced by her use of non-professional actors, who helped develop and improvise the script and who enjoy a convincing, affectionate and evocative chemistry with one another.
