OURA EL JBEL

2023 / 98 min / color

Rafik has spent the last four years of his life in a Tunisian prison. While it was not an easy time for him, especially since it meant separation from his beloved son, it allowed him to develop an unusual and extraordinary talent. Rafik’s actions are guided by intuition, a premonition related to the desire to escape from the surrounding reality, which for him is tantamount to blind submission. He wants to be free, to breathe deeply and break loose from all restrictions. He would like to pass these values on to his son during a trip to the mountains, where he will also show the boy his unusual discovery. Revered Tunisian director Mohammed Ben Attia has said he wanted to tell the story of a character who sees possibilities that go beyond the prevailing narrative in a country gripped by schizophrenia and absurdity. Presented in the format of a road movie, this story of a father-son relationship also straddles the fine line between reality and magic; it’s a tribute to individual willpower. Among the first to recognize the value in Ben Attia’s original idea were prominent Belgian filmmakers the Dardenne brothers, who became producers of Behind the Mountains.