Trubutes and celebrations
ABABACAR SAMB MAKHARAM
Recognized as one of the pioneers of African cinema, Senegalese filmmaker Ababacar Samb Makharam is closely associated with advocating for the independence of African cinema. Born in 1934 in Dakar, Samb joined the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in 1955 before studying film at the «Centro Sperimentale» in Rome. Upon returning to Senegal in 1964, Samb directed three films: Et la Neige n’était plus (1965), which won first prize for short films at the inaugural Festival of Negro Arts; Kodou (1971), which garnered several awards, including the Georges Sadoul Prize in Paris; and Jom (1981), selected for «Critics’ Week» at the Cannes Film Festival in 1982. Elected in Tunis in 1970 as the first secretary GENERAL of the Pan-African Federation of Filmmakers (Fepaci), Samb championed South-South solidarity in promoting African films. The 35th edition of the Carthage Film Festival pays tribute to this trailblazer, honoring an artist whose films and activism left an indelible mark. The homage includes screenings of his films and a presentation and book signing by his daughter, Ghaël Samb Sall, director of «Vives Voix» publishing house in Dakar. She will present her book dedicated to her father at the Senegal Pavilion in the City of Culture.
MERZAK ALLOUACHE
Born on October 6, 1944, Merzak Allouache is an Algerian screenwriter and filmmaker. He studied cinema at the National Institute of Cinema in Algiers and later at IDHEC in Paris. Allouache began his career working as an assistant on several films and went on to create documentaries and programs for Algerian television. His debut feature film, Omar Gatlato (1977), a neo-realist work, premiered at Critics’ Week during the Cannes Film Festival. It is considered a landmark film that transformed Algerian cinema, which had previously been largely focused on anti-colonial liberation struggles. In the late 1980s, Allouache began a documentary trilogy inspired by the October 1988 uprising, comprising L’après octobre, Femmes en mouvement, and Vie et mort des journalistes algériens. Allouache was awarded at the Carthage Film Festival on three occasions: the Golden Tanit for Adventures Of A Hero (1978), the Silver Tanit for Bab El-Oued City (1994), and another Golden Tanit for Salut Cousin! (1996). In 2003, he directed Chouchou, which drew 4 million viewers in France. Having directed over twenty feature films, Merzak Allouache returns to the Carthage Film Festival this year with his two latest fictional works: No Harm Done (2023) and Front Row (2024).
HANY ABU ASSAAD
Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad, renowned for his powerful storytelling, is celebrated for films such as Omar, which won the Tanit d’Or at the Carthage Film Festival in 2014, and Paradise Now, which earned the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006. Both Paradise Now and Omar were also nominated to represent Palestine at the Oscars in the Best Foreign Language Film category. He is one of the leading figures of the «New Palestinian Cinema,» recognized for his powerful and humanistic portrayals of Palestinian stories. In 1990, he founded «Ailoul Production,» a film production company, and began his directorial career in 1992 with the short film «Paper House,» which garnered several awards at international festivals. His filmography includes critically acclaimed works such as «Nazareth 2000,» «Rana’s Wedding,» «Ford Transit,» «Paradise Now,» «Omar,» and «Huda’s Salon.» Abu-Assad has also directed two Hollywood films: «The Specialist» in 2012 and «The Mountain Between Us» in 2017. The 35th edition of the Carthage Film Festival honors Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad, whose films reveal the humanity of a people enduring one of the most oppressive Sionist occupations, highlighting the strength of both individual and collective resistance.
JILANI SAADI
Celebrated for films like “Khorma” (2002), “Tender is the Wolf” (2006), and the “Bidoun Trilogy” (2012, 2014, 2018), Tunisian director Jilani Saâdi has garnered numerous accolades, including the Bronze Tanit at the 2021 Carthage Film Festival for “Insurrection” and the Jury Prize in 2006 for “Tender is the Wolf”. Born in Bizerte on February 6, 1962, Saâdi began his journey through Tunisia’s thriving Ciné-Club movement. He holds a DEUG in Art History and a degree in Film Studies from Paris 8. His early works include “Marchandage nocturne” (1994) and “Café Hôtel de l’Avenir” (1997), leading up to his first feature, “Khorma”, in 2002. He followed with “Tender is the Wolf” (2006), “Winou Baba?” (2011), “Dans La Peau” (2015), and “Bidoun 3” (2018). The 35th Carthage Film Festival pays tribute to Saâdi with a retrospective, spotlighting his unorthodox cinematic style and deep empathy for society’s outcasts.
MOHSEN MAKHMALBAF
Iranian filmmaker, novelist, screenwriter, editor, and producer Mohsen Makhmalbaf began his cinematic career with Tobeh Nosuh (1983), following a five-year imprisonment at age 17 for attacking a policeman during a protest. Makhmalbaf went on to direct internationally acclaimed films such as Salam Cinema (Cannes, 1995), Time of Love (Cannes, 1995), Gabbeh (Cannes, 1996), A Moment of Innocence (Locarno, 1996), Kandahar (Cannes, 2001), and The President (Venice, 2014). His film Kandahar was selected by Time Magazine as one of the 100 greatest films in cinema history. Mohsen Makhmalbaf is attending the 35th session of the Carthage Film Festival to present a selection of his works and lead a masterclass open to the festival’s audience.
