Under the Fig Trees

Under the Fig Trees
Film poster
Directed byErige Sehiri [es]
Written byErige Sehiri
Ghalya Lacroix [fr]
Peggy Hamann
Produced byErige Sehiri
Didar Domehri
Palmyre Badinier
Nicolas Wadimoff
Philippe Coeytaux
Roshi Behesht Nedjad
Starring
  • Fidé Fdhili
  • Feten Fdhili
  • Ameni Fdhili
  • Samar Sifi
  • Leila Ouhebi
  • Hneya Ben Elhedi Sbahi
  • Gaith Mendassi
  • Abdelhak Mrabti
  • Fedi Ben Achour
  • Firas Amri
CinematographyFrida Marzouk
Edited byGhalya Lacroix
Hafedh Laaridhi
Malek Kamounn
Music byArmin Bouhafa [ar]
Production
companies
Henia Productions
Maneki Films
Release date
  • 5 September 2021 (2021-09-05) (Venice Film Festival)
Running time
92 minutes
CountriesTunisia
France
Switzerland
Qatar
LanguageArabic

Under the Fig Trees (Arabic: تحت الشجرة, romanized: Taht al-Shajara) is a 2021 Tunisian drama film directed by Erige Sehiri [ca], starring Fidé Fdhili, Feten Fdhili, Ameni Fdhili, Samar Sifi, Leila Ouhebi, Hneya Ben Elhedi Sbahi, Gaith Mendassi, Abdelhak Mrabti, Fedi Ben Achour and Firas Amri.

The film was announced as Tunisian submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.[1]

Cast

  • Fidé Fdhili as Fidé
  • Feten Fdhili as Melek
  • Ameni Fdhili as Sana
  • Samar Sifi
  • Leila Ouhebi as Leila
  • Hneya Ben Elhedi Sbahi
  • Gaith Mendassi
  • Abdelhak Mrabti as Abdou
  • Fedi Ben Achour
  • Firas Amri as Firas

Release

Under the Fig Trees had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2021.[2] It was released in France on 7 December 2022.[3]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 27 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Distinguished by a naturalistic approach that's enriched by strong work from an ensemble heavy with first-time actors, Under the Fig Trees explores a world of ideas in the span of a single day."[4] Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "The languid, relaxed body language, the clipped cadences of shared stories, and the affection with which the women speak to each other even during moments of tension all bolster the film’s realism and its sense of soul."[5]

Amber Wilkinson of Screen Daily wrote that "Sehiri has already proved herself as a documentarian with the award-winning Railway Men, and she brings that same sense of naturalism to her debut fiction feature".[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Driss, Neila (8 September 2022). "« Sous les figues » d'Erige Sehiri représentera la Tunisie à l'Oscar 2023 du Meilleur Film International" [“Under the figs” by Erige Sehiri will represent Tunisia at the 2023 Oscar for Best International Film]. Webdo TN (in French). Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  2. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (August 26, 2021). "African Projects Feature Prominently at Upcoming Final Cut in Venice Workshop". Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  3. ^ ""Sous les figues", un marivaudage moderne en plein soleil tunisien (Drame) : la critique Télérama" [“Under the figs”, a modern marivaudage in full Tunisian sunshine]. Telerama.fr (in French). December 6, 2022. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "Under the Fig Trees". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 17, 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ Gyarkye, Lovia (27 May 2022). "'Under the Fig Trees' ('Sous les figues'): Film Review [Cannes 2022]". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ^ Wilkinson, Adam (21 May 2022). "'Under The Fig Trees': Cannes Review". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.