PRESS RELEASE Closing Ceremony of the 36th Carthage Film Festival

The 36th edition of the Carthage Film Festival concluded on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at the Opera Theater of Chedly Klibi City of Culture, in the presence of the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Amina Srarfi, and a large number of Arab and African cinema professionals.

In his address, Mohamed Tarek Ben Chaâbane, Director of the 36th edition of the Carthage Film Festival, expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to the successful organization of the festival’s events, considering diversity and richness to be among the defining features of this edition’s program.

Mohamed Tarek Ben Chaâbane emphasized the festival’s commitment to its founding principles, stressing that the 36th edition represents one of its most significant milestones, as the film selections reflected the contemporary realities and concerns of Arab and African societies.

He also confirmed that the upcoming edition of the festival will be a landmark one, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Carthage Film Festival, a longstanding and renewed platform for the celebration of Arab and African cinema.

The Carthage Film Festival (December 13–20, 2025) concluded with the awarding of the Golden Tanit for the Official Feature Fiction Film Competition to the Egyptian film The Stories by Abu Bakr Shawky. The Silver Tanit was awarded to My Father’s Shadow by Nigerian director Akinola Davies Jr., while the Bronze Tanit went to Sink by Jordanian director Zain Duraie. An Honorary Tanit was presented in the same competition to The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania.

In the Official Feature-Length Documentary Film Competition, the Golden Tanit was awarded to Liti Liti by Senegalese director Mamadou Khouma Gueye. The Silver Tanit went to The Lions by the River Tigris by Iraqi director Zaradasht Ahmed, while the Bronze Tanit was awarded to On the Hill by Tunisian director Belhassen Handous. On this occasion, the Carthage Film Festival paid tribute to the memory of late filmmaker Mamadou Moustapha Gaye, who passed away shortly before the participation of his film Graveyard of Life in the documentary competition.

In the Official Short Film Competition, the Golden Tanit was awarded to 32B by Egyptian director Mohamed Taher, the Silver Tanit to Coyotes by Palestinian director Said Zagha, and the Bronze Tanit to She’s Swimming by Lebanese director Liliane Rahal.

The closing ceremony of the Carthage Film Festival on Saturday, December 20, 2025, was marked by a musical performance by Syrian singer of Armenian origin Lena Chamamian, who captivated the audience at the Opera Theater of the City of Culture. This performance was part of the festival’s celebration of Armenian cinema within the Focus section, which, in its 36th edition, focused on the cinemas of Armenia, the Philippines, and Spain.

Complete Awards List of the Official Competitions of JCC 2025

Official Feature Fiction Film Competition:

Golden Tanit: The Stories by Abu Bakr Shawky (Egypt)

Silver Tanit: My father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies JR (Nigeria)

Bronze Tanit: Sink by Zain Duraie (Jordan)

Honorary Tanit: The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia)

Best Screenplay: Director Amel Guellaty for the film “Where the Wind Comes From” (Tunisia)

Best Female Performance: Palestinian actress Saja Kilani for the film “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

Best Actress Special Mention: Ivorian actress Debora Lobe Naney for the film “Promised Sky”

Best Male Performance: Saudi actor Nawwaf Aldaferi for the film “Hijra”

Best Actor Special Mention: Iraqi actor Hussein Raad Zuwayr for the film “Irkalla: Gilgamesh's Dream

Best Original Music: Afrotronix for the film “Diya” (Chad) 

Best Cinematography: Miguel Ioann Littin Menz for the film “Hijra”

Best Editing: Guillaume Talvas for the film “Diya”

Best Set Design: Assem Ali for the film “My Father’s Scent”

Audience Award: Where The Wind Comes From by Amel Guellaty (Tunisia)

First Feature:

Tahar Cheriaa Award for Best First Feature: My Father’s Shadow by Ankola Davis JR (Nigeria)

TV5 MONDE Award for Best First Film: Cotton Queen by Suzannah Mirghani (Sudan)

Official Feature-Length Documentary Film Competition:

Golden Tanit: Liti Liti by Mamadou Khouma Gueye (Senegal)

Silver Tanit: The Lions by The River Tigris by Zaradasht Ahmed (Iraq)

Bronze Tanit: On the Hill by Belhassen Handous (Tunisia) 

Special Mention: Our Seed by Anis Lassoued (Tunisia)

Tribute to filmmaker Mamadou Moustapha Gaye:Graveyard of Life (Senegal) 

Official Short Film Competition:

Golden Tanit: 32B by Mohamed Taher (Egypt)

Silver Tanit: Coyotes by Said Zagha (Palestine)

Bronze Tanit: She’s Swimming by Liliane Rahal (Lebanon)

Special Mention 1: Café? by Bamar Kane (Senegal)

Special Mention 2: The Bird’s Placebo by Rami Jarboui (Tunisia)

Ciné Promesse:  

Ciné Promesse Award: Rock-Paper-Scissors by Cherifa Benouda (ESSAC - Tunisia)

Mention 1: Looking for Abbas Saber by Dina Hassan Aboelea (High Cinema Institute - Egypt)

Mention 2: Was Never Her Choice by Marguerita Nakhoul (Notre Dame de Louaizé University - Lebanon)