Carthage Film Festival

Annual film festival held in Tunis, Tunisia

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Carthage Film Festival
أيام قرطاج السينمائية
Journées cinématographiques de Carthage

Location| Tunis, Tunisia
Founded| 1966; 59 years ago (1966)
Awards| Tanit d'or
Language|

* French
* Arabic
* English

Website| http://www.jcctunisie.org/
Tahar Cheriaa, creator of the Carthage Film Festival

Carthage Film Festival (Journées cinématographiques de Carthage, or JCC) is an annual film festival that takes place in Tunis, founded in 1966. It is also known by its Arabic title, أيام قرطاج السينمائية ("Cinema Days of Carthage").[1] Initially biennial alternating with the Carthage Theatre Festival, the festival became an annual event in 2014.

A directing committee chaired by the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, joined with professionals of the cinema industry, is in charge of the organization. The Carthage Film Festival has been designed as a film festival engaged in the cause of African and Arab countries and enhancing Global South cinema in general. The main prize awarded is the Tanit d'or ("Golden Tanit) named after the Carthaginian goddess Tanit. Opening and closing ceremonies are held in the Théâtre municipal de Tunis (Municipal Theater of Tunis).

The festival's 35th edition took place from 14 October to 21 December 2024. The executive director for the 2025 edition is Tarek Ben Chaâbane.[2]

## History

[edit]

Ousmane Sembène, who won the first Tanit d'or in 1966 (photo taken 1987)

Conceived by filmmaker Tahar Cheriaa and officially launched in 1966 by the Tunisian Minister of Culture, Chedli Klibi, this event, the first of its kind in the Arab world, was primarily conceived to highlight sub-Saharan African and Arab cinema, creating bridges of dialogue between North and South and offering a meeting between regional filmmakers and moviegoers.[citation needed] It was named Journées cinématographiques de Carthage (JCC), and is also known by its Arabic title, أيام قرطاج السينمائية ("Cinema Days of Carthage"), and called Carthage Film Festival in English.[1]

Burkinabe filmmaker Ousmane Sembène, who won the Golden Tanit with his feature film La Noire de... in 1966, afterwards worked with the politician Alimata Salembéré to create another major festival on the African continent, FESPACO (Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou), inaugurated in Burkina Faso in 1969. The Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (French: Fédération Panafricaine des Cinéastes; FEPACI), was officially established in 1970 at the Carthage Film Festival, developing a foundation for South-South film cooperation.[3][4]

Over the years the Carthage Film Festival has introduced workshops, master classes, and the Producer's Network to better support filmmakers. Prominent figures from the arts have served as jurors in various official competitions.

Numerous prominent African and Arab filmmakers have first been recognized at Carthage before going on to receive broader recognition, including the Senegalese Sembene Ousmane (Grand Prize 1966) Egyptian Youssef Chahine (Grand Prize 1970), Malian Souleymane Cissé (Grand Prize 1982), the Palestinian Michel Khleifi (Grand Prize 1988), Tunisians Taïeb Louhichi (1st Tunisian Golden Tanit for short film 1972) [5] Nouri Bouzid, Ferid Boughedir, and Moufida Tlatli (Grand Prize 1986, 1990, 1994), the Syrian Mohammad Malas (Grand Prize 1992) and Algerian Merzak Allouache (Grand Prize 1996).

The festival's social dimension is reflected in several Golden Tanit award-winning films, such as the Making Of (2006) by Nouri Bouzid, featuring Bahta, a 25-year-old unemployed amateur break dancer recruited by extremists to commit a suicide attack.

On 19 October 2023, the festival's management announced that, following a decision by the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, the 34th edition of the festival had been canceled “in light of the unacceptable tragedy currently being endured by the Palestinian people, and in solidarity with the Palestinian people, as expressed at the highest level in Tunisia.”[6] This decision sparked incomprehension,[7][8] disappointment among the festival team,[9] and a joint statement from the artistic community calling for “an immediate reversal of this hasty decision”.[10]

## Program and awards

[edit]

The official program includes several sections: the "Official Competition" and the "Panorama section" which are open to Arab and African films; the "International section" which is open to recent movies of high artistic quality; a "Tribute section" and "Workshop Projects" designed to encourage the development of Arab and African films projects by granting "help funds for scenario" and a competitive video section.

The official Selection: The various sections of the Official Competition of the Carthage Film Festival each present 12 films.

The official competition for feature films: This selection with three Tanit (Gold, Silver, Bronze) is the most visible part of the Carthage Film Festival and is the heart of the official selection. Twelve Arab and African films reflect the renewal of cinematographic expression and present original works singular in their aesthetic and their statements.

The official short film competition: As well as the competition dedicated to feature films, this selection allows the dedication of three Arab and African fiction short format films (less than 30 minutes).

The documentary competition: A Golden Tanit awards the best documentary among twelve Arab and African films. The Prize Tahar Cheriaa for a first work: The Golden Tanit "Tahar Cheriaa" awards the first work of a filmmaker presented in the official selection: official Competition, competition of the first Arab and African film.

Carthage Ciné-Foundation: This international selection of twelve school films embodies the diversity of young artists and announces the trends of the future of world cinema. A film will be awarded by an international jury.

Parallel sections

New Territories

This program aims to be a window on recent suggested films, the most innovative and subversive, the most radical and marginal, in a word, on new aesthetic and political experiences, far from any commercial format, media, or festival. It seeks to submit the continually renewed ability of cinema to house within it both the issues of its time, the questions of those who make it and their contemporaries as well as the shifting of its artistic, formal, and technological expression.

Tribute Each edition pays tribute to a Tunisian filmmaker and several international filmmakers offering the public a retrospective of their films or debate meetings inspired by their careers.

Carthage professional Takmil The Takmil workshop, namely "finish" in Arabic, which is in its second edition, aims to allow African and Arab films in the post-production phase to be evaluated by an international jury of cinema professionals. For three days, working copies are viewed by the jury in the presence of the filmmakers whose films have been selected. Screenings will be followed by a discussion allowing each participant to defend his film and benefit from expertise. The workshop Takmil also aims to be a platform offering visibility to young African and Arab filmmaking. The visibility will result in particular by the screening of the winning films, an African and Arab premiere during the Carthage Film Festival session following their finishing.

Producers Network The Producers Network hosts Arab and African producers present at the Carthage Film Festival and allows international film professionals to benefit from a series of meetings and specific events designed to encourage international co-production and optimize networking. With a 48-hour program, the Producers Network offers real opportunities to meet with potential partners with financing, co-production, and distribution needs.

The Carthage Film Festival in regions

Since the 2014 session, the Carthage Film Festival has moved between different Tunisian cities. In 2015 ten cities hosted the festival: Jendouba, Sfax, Mahdia, Tataouine, Nabeul, Béja, Kef, Kairouan, Gafsa and Monastir. The films are divided into three main sections:

* The films of the official selection: these films are screened in the evening during the festival period in each host city.
* European films: In partnership with the Journées du Cinéma Européen, a selection of European films are screened daily in different cities.
* In partnership with UNICEF two children's movies are screened in each city.

## Editions

[edit]

Edition  | Dates  | Tanit d'or | Tanit d'argent  | Tanit de bronze

|
|
|
|

1st  | 4-11

December 1966

| La Noire de... Ousmane Sembène

(Senegal)

| The Cry by Jaromil Jireš (Czechoslovakia)  | Not awarded
2nd  | 13-20

October 1968

| Not awarded  | The Night Watchman by Khalil Chawki (Iraq)  | Mokhtar by Sadok Ben Aïcha

(Tunisia)

3rd  | 11-18

October 1970

| The body of work of Youssef Chahine (Egypt) Le Choix | Des hommes au soleil by Nabil Maleh, Marouane El Mouadhen et Mohamed Chahine (Syria)  | Wechma de Hamid Bénani (Marocco)

Une si simple histoire by Abdellatif Ben Ammar (Tunisia)

Khlifa the Ringworm by Hamouda Ben Halima (Tunisia)

4th  | 30 September- 8 October 1972  | Les Dupes by Tawfiq Saleh (Syria)

Sambizanga by Sarah Maldoror (Democratic Republic of Congo)

My Village, a Village among Others by Taïeb Louhichi (Tunisia)

| The Charcoal Maker by Mohamed Bouamari

(Algeria)

| And Tomorrow? Brahim Babaï (Tunisia)

Lambaaye de Mahama Johnson Traoré (Senegal)

The Cruel Sea by Khaled Al Siddiq

5th  | 26 October -2 November 1974  | Arabs and Niggers, Your Neighboursby Med Hondo (Mauritania)

Kafr kasem by Borhane Alaouié

(Libya / Syria)

| Sejnane by Abdellatif Ben Ammar (Tunisia)  | Not awarded
6th  | 14-23 October 1976  | The Ambassadors de Naceur Ktari (Tunisie / Libya / France)  | Muna Moto by Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa (Cameroon)  | Nationality: Immigration by Sidney Sokhona (Mauritania)
7th  | 16-26 October 1978  | The Adventures of a Hero by Merzak Allouache (Algeria)  | Baara by Souleymane Cissé (Mali)  | Chafika et Metwalli by Ali Badrakhan (Egypt)
8th  | 15-23 November 1980  | Aziza d'Abdellatif Ben Ammar (Tunisia)  | Ali au pays des mirages d'Ahmed Rachedi (Algeria)  | Fad'jal by Safi Faye (Senegal)
9th  | 22-30 October 1982  | The Wind (Binye) by Souleymane Cissé (Mali)  | God's Gift (Wend Kuni) by Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso)  | Not awarded
10th  | 12-21 October 1984  | Dreams of the City Mohamed Malas (Syria)  | Porté disparu de Mohamed Khan (Egypt)  | Les Cooperants by Arthur Si-Bita (Cameroon)
11th  | 14-25 October 1986  | L'Homme de cendres de Nouri Bouzid (Tunisia)  | Mr. Fabre's Windmill (Tahûna al amm Fabre) by Ahmed Rachedi (Algeria)  | Nyamanton by Cheick Oumar Sissoko (Mali)
12th  | 21-29 October 1988  | Wedding in Galilee by Michel Khleifi (Palestine)  | Zan Boko by Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso)  | Arab by Fadhel Jaïbi and Fadhel Jaziri (Tunisia)
13th  | 26 October-3 November 1990  | Halfaouine Child of the Terraces by Férid Boughedir (Tunisia)  | Rose of the Desert by Rachid Benhadj (Algeria)  | Mortu Nega by Flora Gomes (Guinea-Bissau)
14th  | 2-10 October 1992  | The Night by Mohamed Malas (Syria)  | Samba Traoré by Idrissa Ouedraogo(Burkina Faso)  | Les Yeux bleus de Yonta by Flora Gomes (Guinea-Bissau)
15th  | 12-19 November 1994  | The Silences of the Palace by Moufida Tlatli (Tunisia)  | Bab El-Oued City de Merzak Allouache (Algeria)  | The Golden Ball by Cheik Doukouré (Guinea)
16th  | 11- 20 October 1996  | Hi Cousin! by Merzak Allouache (Algeria)  | Po di sangui de Flora Gomes (Guinea-Bissau)  | Haïfa de Rashid Masharawi(Palestine)
17th  | 23-31 October 1998  | Living in Paradise by Bourlem Guerdjou (Algeria)  | عرق البلح (فيلم) [ar] by Redwan al-Kashif (Egypt)  | Faraw! Mother of Dunes d'Abdoulaye Ascofaré (Mali)
18th  | 20-28 October 2000  | Dôlè de Imunga Ivanga (Gabon)  | Closed Doors Atef Hetata (Egypt)  | Be My Friend by Naceur Ktari (Tunisia)
19th  | 18-26 October 2002  | The Price of Forgiveness by Mansour Sora Wade (Senegal)  | Clay Dolls by Nouri Bouzid (Tunisia)  | Hijack Stories by Oliver Schmitz

(South Africa)

20th  | 2-9 October 2004  | In Casablanca, Angels Don't Fly by Mohamed Asli (Morocco)  | Zulu Love Letter by Ramadan Suleman (South Africa)  | Dreamy Visions by Waha Al Raheb (Syria)
21st  | 11-18 November 2006  | Making of by Nouri Bouzid (Tunisia)  | Daratt de Mahamat Saleh Haroun (Chad)  | Waiting by Rashid Masharawi (Palestine)
22nd  | 25 October - 1 November 2008  | Teza by Hailé Gerima (Ethiopia)  | Laila's Birthday by Rashid Masharawi (Palestine)  | Khamsa de Karim Dridi (Tunisia)
23d  | 23-31 October 2010  | Microphone by Ahmad Abdalla (Egypt)  | The Trip to Algiers by Abdelkrim Bahloul (Algeria)  | The Mosque by Daoud Aoulad-Syad (Marocco)
24th  | 16-24 November 2012  | La Pirogue by Moussa Touré (Senegal)  | Death for Sale by Faouzi Bensaïdi (Morocco)  | Coming Forth by Day by Hala Lotfy (Egypt)
25th  | 29 November-6 December 2014  | Omar by Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)  | They are the Dogs by Hicham Lasri (Morocco)  | Before Snowfall de Hisham Zaman (Iraq)
26th  | 21-28 November 2015  | The Blind Orchestra by Mohamed Mouftakir (Morocco)  | The Endless River Oliver Hermanus (South Africa)  | As I Open My Eyes by Leyla Bouzid

(Tunisia / France / Belgium)

27th  | 28 October-5 November 2016  | Zaineb Hates the Snow bu Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia)  | Clash by Mohamed Diab (Egypt)  | 3000 Nights by Mai Masri (Palestine)
28th  | 4-11 November 2017  | The Train of Salt and Sugar by Licínio Azevedo (Mozambique)  | The Wound by John Trengove (South Africa)  | Volubilis by Faouzi Bensaïdi (Morocco)
29th  | 3-10 November 2018  | Fatwa de Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud (Tunisia)  | Yomeddine by Abu Bakr Shawky (Egypt)  | War Travelers by Joud Saïd (Syria)
30th  | 26 October-2 November 2019  | Noura's Dream by Hinde Boujemaa (Tunisia)  | Atlantique by Mati Diop (Senegal)  | Scales by Shahad Ameen (Saudi Arabia)
31st  | 7-12 November 2020  | Not awarded  | Not awarded  | Not awarded
32nd  | 30 October-6 November 2021  | Feathers by Omar El Zohairy (Egypt)  | This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese (Lesotho)  | Insurrection by Jilani Saadi (Tunisia)
33nd  | 29 October-5 November 2022  | Tug of War by Amil Shivji (Tanzania)  | Under the Fig Trees by Erige Sehiri (Tunisia)  | Sharaf by Samir Nasr (Egypt)
34th  | 28 October-4 November 2023  | Not awarded  | Not awarded  | Not awarded
35th  | 14 October-21 December 2024  | Red Path by Lotfi Achour (Tunisia)  | To a Land Unknown by Mahdi Fleifel (Palestina)  | Demba by Mamadou Dia (Senegal)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Lieve Spaas (2000). Francophone Film: A Struggle for Identity. Manchester University Press. p. 129\. ISBN 978-0-7190-5861-5.
2. ^ DRISS, Neïla (18 April 2025). "Tarek Ben Chaâbane nommé directeur général des Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage 2025". webdo (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2025.
3. ^ Martin, Michael T. (Fall 2020). "The Long Take: Gaston Kaboré on the Formation, Evolution & Challenges to FEPACI & FESPACO". Black Camera. 12 (1). Indiana University Press: 208–236\. ISSN 1947-4237. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
4. ^ "Regulations of the II Cartago International Film Festival". Artxiboa. 30 July 2024. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2025. "In that first edition, the so-called 'father of African cinema' Ousmane Sembène won the Golden Tanit with his feature film La Noire de... (1966). After his visit to the event, he became involved with the politician Alimata Salambere in the creation of the other major festival on the African continent, the FESPACO (Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou), inaugurated in Burkina Faso three years later... It is no coincidence that in 1970, within the framework of the Carthage Film Festival, the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) was created, which would develop a basis for South-South film cooperation with African, Latin American and Asian countries."
5. ^ "Le cinéma tunisien en deuil". 22 February 2018.
6. ^ "Murmures | Africultures : JCC 2023 : annulation de la session 2023". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2025.
7. ^ "Les JCC 2023 annulées alors que des films précieux sur la Palestine étaient au Programme!" (in French). 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
8. ^ projettut (21 October 2023). "L'INCOMPRÉHENSIBLE ANNULATION DES JCC 2023". Cinema Tunisien (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2025.
9. ^ "Les équipes des JCC déçues par l'annulation de l'événement". www.businessnews.com.tn (in French). Archived from the original on 27 March 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
10. ^ NY, Yusra (24 October 2023). "Tunisie : Non à l'annulation des JCC !". Kapitalis (in French). Retrieved 20 June 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Carthage Film Festival on African Film Festivals website

* v
* t
* e

Carthage Film Festival Tanit d'argent winners

1966–2000|

* The Cry (1966)
* The Night Watchman (1968)
* Des hommes au soleil (1970)
* The Charcoal Maker (1972)
* Sejnane (1974)
* Muna Moto (1976)
* Baara (1978)
* Ali au pays des mirages (1980)
* God's Gift (1982)
* Porté disparu (1984)
* Mr. Fabre's Windmill (1986)
* Zan Boko (1988)
* Rose of the Desert (1990)
* Samba Traoré (1992)
* Bab El-Oued City (1994)
* Po di Sangui (1996)
* عرق البلح (فيلم) (1998)
* Closed Doors (2000)

2001–present|

* Clay Dolls (2002)
* Zulu Love Letter (2004)
* Daratt (2006)
* Laila's Birthday (2008)
* The Trip to Algiers (2010)
* Death for Sale (2012)
* They are the Dogs (2014)
* The Endless River (2015)
* Clash (2016)
* The Wound (2017)
* Yomeddine (2018)
* Atlantique (2019)
* This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection (2021)

* v
* t
* e

Carthage Film Festival Tanit d'or winners

1966–2000|

* La Noire de (1966)
* Le Choix (1970)
* Les Dupes (1972)
* Arabs and Niggers, Your Neighbours (1974)
* The Ambassadors (1976)
* The Adventures of a Hero (1978)
* Aziza (1980)
* The Wind (1982)
* Dreams of the City (1984)
* L'Homme de cendres (1986)
* Wedding in Galilee (1988)
* Halfaouine Child of the Terraces (1990)
* The Night (1992)
* The Silences of the Palace (1994)
* Hi Cousin! (1996)
* Living in Paradise (1998)
* Dôlè (2000)

2001–present|

* The Price of Forgiveness (2002)
* In Casablanca, Angels Don't Fly (2004)
* Making of (2006)
* Teza (2008)
* Microphone (film) (2010)
* La Pirogue (2012)
* Omar (2014)
* The Blind Orchestra (2015)
* Zaineb Hates the Snow (2016)
* The Train of Salt and Sugar (2017)
* Fatwa (2018)
* Noura's Dream (2019)
* Feathers (2021)

* v
* t
* e

Carthage Film Festival Tanit de bronze winners

1966–2000|

* Mokhtar (1968)
* Wechma, Une si simple histoire, Khlifa the Ringworm (1970)
* And Tomorrow?, Lambaaye, The Cruel Sea (1972)
* Nationality: Immigration (1976)
* Chafika et Metwalli (1978)
* Fad'jal (1980)
* Les Cooperants (1984)
* Nyamanton (1986)
* Arab (1988)
* Mortu Nega (1990)
* Les Yeux bleus de Yonta (1992)
* The Golden Ball (1994)
* Haifa (1996)
* Faraw! Mother of Dunes (1998)
* Be My Friend (film) (2000)

2001–present|

* Hijack Stories (2002)
* Dreamy Visions (2004)
* انتظار (فيلم فلسطيني)  (2006)
* Khamsa (2008)
* The Mosque (2010)
* Coming Forth by Day (2012)
* Before Snowfall (2014)
* As I Open My Eyes (2015)
* 3000 Nights (2016)
* Volubilis (2017)
* War Travelers (2018)
* Scales (2019)
* Insurrection (2021)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Spain

Other|

* IdRef

36°48′23″N 10°10′54″E﻿ / ﻿36.80639°N 10.18167°E﻿ / 36.80639; 10.18167
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