Deux jeunes femmes, Zina et Djo, de retour en Tunisie du front syrien où elles ont été séquestrées et violées, font face à une reconstruction longue et pénible freinée par la violence de proches, du regard tenace des réseaux sociaux, et de mal être.

En décembre 2013, Zina et Djo, reviennent en Tunisie du front syrien où elles ont été séquestrées et violées. Zina a été séparée de son enfant de deux mois et Djo se découvrant enceinte se refugie dans un mutisme et ne parle de l’horreur syrienne que dans son prochain roman « Violée ».
Nadia, avocate, et Dora, médecin humanitaire, les accompagnent dans leur dure et longue reconstruction; freinée par la violence de proches, du regard tenace des réseaux sociaux, et de mal être.
Nadia, également avocate de Driss, 21 ans, homosexuel persécuté et radié de tous les établissements scolaires, lui demande d’aider Zina. Leur rencontre riche, permettra t-elle à Zina et Driss d’ouvrir leurs boites noires, de s’assumer et de braver la société injuste ?

Un film de Nouri BOUZID

Tunisie / Maroc / Luxembourg, 2019, fiction, 1h40 mins, drame

avec Nour Hajri, Afef Ben Mahmoud, Joumene Limam, Mehdi Hajri, Sondos Belhassen, Fatma Ben Saidane, Noomene Hamda

8ème Long métrage



Réalisé par Nouri Bouzid
Écrit par Nouri Bouzid
Image : Hatem Nechi
Son : Moez Cheikh
Montage : Chalya Lacrois, Seifedine Ben Salem, Hafedh Laridhi
Musique : Riadh Fehri
Costumes : Nabil Cherif
Effets spéciaux : Montasser Ben Mahmoud

ACTRICES / ACTEURS
Nour Hajri
Afef Ben Mahmoud
Sondes Belhassen
Joumene Limam
Mehdi Hajri
Fatma Ben Saidane
Noomene Hamda
Ghanem Zrelli

Produit par Mésanges Films, Lycia Productions
Coproduit par Samsa Film
avec le soutien de Film Fund Luxembourg
www.filmfund.lu/film-catalogue/films/the-scarecrows-les-epouvantails

Ventes Internationales :
Lycia Productions
Khalil Benkirane
kalbrane(@)gmail.com

avec le soutien de
Cineworld
www.filmfund.lu/film-catalogue/films/the-scarecrows-les-epouvantails

CONTACT

PRODUCTION :
Mésanges Films
Bureau B2.2 immeuble Mac Krown, 2 rue du Lac Léman, Les Berges du Lac
1053 – Tunis, Tunisie
Tel. 00974 66 43 43 47
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/lesepouvantailsnouribouzid/

PRODUCTION :
Lycia Productions
52 Boulevard Abdelmoumen Apt 142, Residence Al Manar
20000 – Casablanca, Maroc
Tel. 00974 664 88 191
[email protected]

PRODUCTION :
Samsa Film
238C rue de Luxembourg
L-8077 – Bertrange – Luxembourg
Tel. 352 45 19 601
[email protected]
http://www.samsa.lu

Ventes Mondiales :
MPM Premium – Quentin Worthington, [email protected]

Distribution (Tunisie) : HAKKA Distribution

Nominations & Prix & Festivals

– Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage -JCC 2019 -Session Néjib Ayed, TUNISIE
* Film d’Ouverture

– Festival de Venise 2019 (Sélection Officielle), ITALIE
* Sélection: Out of Competition, « Sconfini »
– Sélectionné pour l’Afrika Film Festival de Cologne 2021

In late 2013, Zina and Djo, both in their twenties, come back to Tunisia from the Syrian front where they were sequestrated and raped. Zina was separated from her two-month-old child and Djo finds out she’s pregnant and plunges into mutism and expresses her Syrian horror only in the novel she is writing. Tunisian lawyer Nadia and Dora, a humanitarian doctor, assist them in their hard and lengthy reconstruction; impeded by the violence of their close circles, the harsh view on the social networks and their angst. Nadia, also Driss’ lawyer, a 21-year- old persecuted homosexual who’s been banned from all school establishments, asks him to help Zina in the hopes that their stirring meeting will allow them to open their black boxes, to assume themselves and stand up to the unjust society.

January 2014. Zina and Joe, around 20, return to Tunisia from the Syrian front where they were sequestrated and raped. Zina has been separated from her two-month-old child, and Joe, being pregnant, locks herself in mutism and only talks about Syrian horror through her next novel « Raped ».
Nadia, a lawyer, and Dora, a humanitarian doctor, accompany them in their long and difficult reconstruction; between violence of relatives, hard feedback from social networks, and misery.
Nadia, also a lawyer of Driss, 21, persecuted homosexual and expelled from all schools, asks her to help Zina…

A film by Nouri BOUZID

Tunisia / Morocco / Luxembourg, 2019, fiction, 1h40 mins, drama

starring
Nour Hajri, Afef Ben Mahmoud, Joumene Limam, Mehdi Hajri, Sondos Belhassen, Fatma Ben Saidane, Noomene Hamda

8th Feature

Year: 2019
Form: FICTION – Feature film
Genre: Drama
Original version: Arabic, French
Running Time: 98′
Country: Tunisia, Morocco, Luxembourg

Director’s Statement
I wanted to make this film as testimony of the dark period Tunisia has experienced under the Islamist regime since the recent revolution. My aim is to break the silence around its isolated victims, and to lift the veil on this period. I have taken this opportunity to liberate this story from behind the walls that have encircled it since 2013. Les épouvantails cries out in opposition to the forgetfulness that surrounds those victims who embody the bad conscience of our nation. Thanks to the young producers who worked with me, this film has allowed me to find life in cinema once again.

Director: Nouri Bouzid
Screenplay: Nouri Bouzid
Cinematographer: Hatem Nechi
Sound : Moez Cheikh
Editors: Ghalya Lacroix, Seifedine Ben Salem, Hafedh Laridhi
Music : Riadh Fehri
Production Designer: Fatma Madani
Costume Designer: Nabila Cherif
VFX (Visual Effects): Montasser Ben Mahmoud

Main Cast:
Nour Hajri, Afef Ben Mahmoud, Joumene Limam, Mehdi Hajri, Sondos Belhassen, Fatma Ben Saïdane, Noomen Hamda

Production:
SAMSA FILM (LU)
Mésanges Films (TN),
Lycia Productions (MA)

with the support of
Cineworld
www.filmfund.lu/film-catalogue/films/the-scarecrows-les-epouvantails

International sales
Lycia Productions
Khalil Benkirane
kalbrane(@)gmail.com

CONTACT

PRODUCTION:
Mésanges Films
Bureau B2.2 immeuble Mac Krown, 2 rue du Lac Léman, Les Berges du Lac
1053 – Tunis, Tunisia
Tel. 00974 66 43 43 47
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/lesepouvantailsnouribouzid/

PRODUCTION:
Lycia Productions
52 Boulevard Abdelmoumen Apt 142, Residence Al Manar
20000 – Casablanca, Morocco
Tel. 00974 664 88 191
[email protected]

PRODUCTION:
Samsa Film
238C rue de Luxembourg
L-8077 – Bertrange – Luxembourg
Tel. 352 45 19 601
[email protected]
http://www.samsa.lu

WORLD SALES:
MPM Premium – Quentin Worthington, [email protected]

Nominations & Awards
– 2019: Official Selection International Film Festival Venice, ITALY
* Selection: Out of Competition, « Sconfini »
www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2019/sconfini/les-%C3%A9pouvantails

__________

IT

Alla fine del 2013, Zina e Djo, entrambe ventenni, fanno ritorno in Tunisia dal fronte siriano dove sono state sequestrate e stuprate. Mentre Zina è stata separata dal suo bimbo di due mesi, Djo sprofonda nel mutismo quando scopre di essere incinta, riuscendo a raccontare la sua terribile esperienza siriana esclusivamente attraverso il libro che sta scrivendo. L’avvocato tunisino Nadia e la dottoressa Dora, volontaria di un’associazione umanitaria, le assistono nel lungo e travagliato processo di ricostruzione, ostacolato dalla violenza del loro entourage, dall’atteggiamento intransigente verso i social network e dall’angoscia che le attanaglia. Nadia è anche l’avvocato di Driss, un ventunenne omosessuale perseguitato, che è stato bandito da tutte le istituzioni scolastiche. Nadia gli chiede di aiutare Zina nella speranza che questo loro toccante incontro permetta a entrambi di aprire le rispettive ‘scatole nere’, supportarsi e affrontare le ingiustizie della società.

film di Nouri BOUZID

Tunisia, Marocco, Lussemburgo / 2019 / 98′

Interpreti: Nour Hajri, Afef Ben Mahmoud, Joumene Limam, Mehdi Hajri, Sondos Belhassen, Fatma Ben Saïdane, Noomen Hamda

Durata: 98′
Lingua: arabo
Paesi: Tunisia, Marocco, Lussemburgo
Anno: 2019

Commento del regista
Volevo realizzare questo film come testimonianza del periodo buio che la Tunisia ha vissuto durante il regime islamico dopo l’ultima rivoluzione. Il mio obiettivo è rompere il muro di silenzio che ha avvolto le vittime e il loro isolamento e, allo stesso tempo, fare luce su questi avvenimenti. Ho colto l’opportunità di abbattere i muri che circondano questa storia dal 2013. Les épouvantails è un grido contro l’oblio che avvolge le vittime, simbolo della coscienza sporca della nostra nazione. Grazie ai giovani produttori che hanno lavorato con me, questo film mi ha permesso di ritrovare nuovamente la vita nel cinema.

Regia: Nouri Bouzid
Sceneggiatura: Nouri Bouzid
Fotografia: Hatem Nechi
Montaggio: Ghalya Lacroix, Seifedine Ben Salem, Hafedh Laridhi
Scenografia: Fatma Madani
Costumi: Nabila Cherif
Musica: Riadh Fehri
Suono: Moez Cheikh
Effetti visivi: Montasser Ben Mahmoud

Produzione:
Mésanges Films, Lycia Productions, Samsa Film

PRODUZIONE 1:
Mésanges Films
Bureau B2.2 immeuble Mac Krown, 2 rue du Lac Léman, Les Berges du Lac
1053 – Tunis, Tunisia
Tel. 00974 66 43 43 47
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/lesepouvantailsnouribouzid/

PRODUZIONE 2:
Lycia Productions
52 Boulevard Abdelmoumen Apt 142, Residence Al Manar
20000 – Casablanca, Morocco
Tel. 00974 664 88 191
[email protected]

PRODUZIONE 3:
Samsa Film
238C rue de Luxembourg
L-8077 – Bertrange – Luxembourg
Tel. 352 45 19 601
[email protected]
http://www.samsa.lu

DISTRIBUZIONE INTERNAZIONALE:
MPM Premium – Quentin Worthington, [email protected]

– 2019: Mostra, La Biennale di Venezia, ITALIA
* Selection: Selezione ufficiale, « Sconfini »
www.labiennale.org/it/cinema/2019/sconfini/les-%C3%A9pouvantails