MAD Solutions is handling the film’s distribution.
Tunisian film The Island of Forgiveness, directed, written, and produced by Ridha Behi, is set to screen at NVIC – Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo on March 3 at 7 PM.
The film, starring Claudia Cardinale, Katia Greco, Paola Lavini, Ali Bennour, and Badis Behi, is being distributed by MAD Solutions.
The Island of Forgiveness follows Andrea Licari, a successful author and professor of Italian descent, as he returns to his birthplace of Djerba, Tunisia, to fulfill his mother’s wish of scattering her ashes. Along the way, he confronts his past traumas and seeks forgiveness for himself and others.
The film premiered at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Pyramid for Best Director and the Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Screenplay. It also received six nominations at the 2022 Carthage Film Festival, including the Golden Tanit for Best Feature Film. Critics praised its cinematography, music, and performances, particularly by Chedly Arfaoui, who portrayed the older Andrea.
Inspired by Behi’s own experience of returning to Tunisia after years abroad, the script was co-written with Ziad Hamzeh, who also served as one of the producers. Shot on location in Djerba and Rome with a budget of $1m, the film features a score composed by Amine Bouhafa and songs by Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi.
Released in Tunisia on March 15, 2022, and in Italy on April 22, 2022, the film garnered positive reviews for its emotional and humanistic exploration of themes such as identity, exile, and reconciliation.
The Island of Forgiveness was selected as the Tunisian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.