Under the Fig Trees


Under the Fig Trees is a 2021 Tunisian drama film directed by Erige Sehiri, starring Fidé Fdhili, Feten Fdhili, Ameni Fdhili, Samar Sifi, Leila Ouhebi, Hneya Ben Elhedi Sbahi, Gaith Mendassi, Abdelhak Mrabti, Fedi Ben Achour and Firas Amri.
The film was announced as Tunisian submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.

Cast

  • Fidé Fdhili as Fidé
  • Feten Fdhili as Melek
  • Ameni Fdhili as Sana
  • Samar Sifi
  • Leila Ouhebi as Leila
  • Hneya Ben Elhedi Sbahi
  • Gaith Mendassi
  • Abdelhak Mrabti as Abdou
  • Fedi Ben Achour
  • Firas Amri as Firas

Release

Under the Fig Trees had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2021. It was released in France on 7 December 2022.

Reception

Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "The languid, relaxed body language, the clipped cadences of shared stories, and the affection with which the women speak to each other even during moments of tension all bolster the film’s realism and its sense of soul."
Amber Wilkinson of Screen Daily wrote that "Sehiri has already proved herself as a documentarian with the award-winning Railway Men, and she brings that same sense of naturalism to her debut fiction feature".