TUNISIA / The Douz Doc Days are back… at Djerba

The 5^th Douz Doc Days at the Sahara Museum in Douz was originally scheduled for October last year, before being cancelled for lack of budget. But now it will definitely take place: it has been relocated to Djerba “for financial reasons”, according to its director Hichem Ben Ammar, and will be held from March 20^th to 25^th.

Thus the Douz Doc Days becomes the Djerba Doc Days. But the festival’s heart won’t change, since the selection continues to highlight, through 18 Tunisian documentaries, “the recent audiovisual production by film-makers of the new generation.”

9 long and 9 short films compete for the Dromad’Or, an award worth 5,000 dinars (about €2,000). In addition to the Special Jury Award, an Award for Artistic Contribution will be presented for the first time in the festival’s history.

Two films are being shown as world premières: Elyes Baccar’s “Cairo 30” chosen for the opening night, and Leila Chaïbi and Hélène Poté’s “Le Verrou”, about the virginity cult in Tunisia.

Among the other films in the selection, several echo current affairs, especially on the migration issue: Salah Jday’s “Bonjour la Gazelle”, Walid Fellah’s “Boza”, and “Brûle la Mer” by Maki Berchache and Nathalie Nambot.

Concerts, photo and video workshops are also planned, as well as two exhibitions, including one devoted to Tunisian photographers.

Sources : Tekiano, La Presse News