«Red Path».. When a Child's Trauma Turns into a Cinematic Tale
Amman2 min read
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The Royal Film Commission - Jordan screened yesterday evening the Tunisian feature narrative film «Red Path» directed by Lotfi Achour at the Commission's outdoor theater, in the presence of an audience of cinema enthusiasts. The screening was followed by a discussion with the director about the film and his artistic experience.
The 100-minute film takes viewers to Mount Mghoula in Tunisia in November 2015, where 14-year-old Ashraf experiences a harsh ordeal that turns his life upside down after wandering away from his home with his cousin, finding himself facing sudden and destructive violence.
Ashraf survives the incident but returns to his village bearing a deeply cruel message, while silence and fear blanket the place amid the absence of authorities.
Bridging reality and imagination, the film follows the psychological transformations of a child facing loss and trauma, trying to comprehend an experience that exceeds his capacity to endure.
Through this work, director Lotfi Achour delivers a cinematic treatment that goes beyond merely narrating the event to delve into the child's inner world, employing a visual and poetic language that traces the impact of violence on memory and the psyche, while simultaneously revealing the human capacity to cling to life under the harshest conditions.
Spoken in the Tunisian Arabic dialect and subtitled in Arabic and English, the film is a co-production between Tunisia, France, Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
«Red Path» has won 13 awards, including the Black Iris Award for Best Arab Feature Narrative Film at the 5th edition of the Amman International Film Festival - Awal Film in 2024, alongside the Tanit d'Or for Best Film at the Carthage Film Festival the same year, and has been nominated for 11 international awards.
The film's screening comes as part of the Royal Film Commission's program, which offers Jordanian audiences the opportunity to watch Arab and international cinematic experiences and interact directly with their creators through post-screening discussions.
