Directed by Lassaad Oueslati, the Tunisian series Harga won the Targo d’oro at the first Matera Fiction Fest in Italy, which took place from June 1st to 4th.
The first edition of this international festival for television series concentrated on productions from Mediterranean countries: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy and France. The organisers hope it will become a regular gathering for the many professionals in the audiovisual industry.
In the local dialect harga means the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean taken by many Tunisians in the hope of a better life in Europe. While showing many aspects of poverty and emigration, Harga the series centres on a father searching for his son who has gone to Italy.
Two seasons were broadcast during Ramadan in 2021 and 2022 on Watania 1, the public television channel. With an estimated budget of 2.6 million dinars, or around €780,000, the series has been a great success. Because of its subject-matter it was also shown as part of an awareness project led by the Tunisian International Organization for Migration.
Sources: Web Manager Center, Kapitalis, Ciné Série
