Upon the Shadow

Trailer.

Photo Gallery.

Upon the Shadow.

We discover the mysterious side of Amina Sboui (former Femen) and her daily life. Her friends of the LGBT community, who live at her home, have been rejected by their families and society. Through Amina, we dive into their stories: Sandra (transvestite), Ramy (gay), Ayoub (gay), Atef (gay and transvestite).

Director.

Born on the 6th May 1984, Nada Mezni Hafaiedh was from an early aged exposed to different cultures due to her diplomatic parents. Saudi Arabia, USA, France, Canada represents a pool of developments of her passion for cinema. At the age of ten, her hobby was already assumed, she used to produce amateur films and video clips by putting her friends and family as actors. She goes to Montreal to finish her studies in Business Administration, but soon changed her curriculum to follow her passion for filmmaking. Graduated from School of cinema in Montreal, she opened her production company to write and direct several projects which will be fast appreciated by the Canadian community. On her return in her country of origin, Tunisia in 2009, she decided then to write her first feature film. What is more intense than producing a map of Tunisian society: Hekayat Tounisia 2010 (Tunisian Stories). Upon the Shadow (Au-delà de l’ombre) wants to express how much difficult is to grow and protect your sexual freedom in a homophobic society where it is taboo or strongly disparaged.

Details.

  • Title
    Upon the Shadow
  • Rights
    Festivals,
    Sales
  • Country
    Tunisia
  • Year
    2017
  • Length
    80′, col.

  • Director 
    Nada Mezni Hafaiedh
  • Screenplay
    Nada Mezni Hafaiedh
  • Editing
    Tidal Zran,
    Noura Nafzi
  • Photography
    Ikbal Arafa

  • Music
    Yacine Azaiez
  • Sound
    Helmi Belfekih
  • Cast
    Amina Sboui, Sandra Neifer,
    Ramy Ayari, Ayoub Moumene,
    Atef Pucci

  • Producer 
    Slim Hafaiedh
  • Production 
    Leyth Production


    • Thessaloniki International Doc Film Festival 2017 – Human Rights
    • Pink Apple Film Festival Zurich 2017
    • Cinema Arabe Film Festival Amsterdam 2017
    • Pride Ouest 2017 Bern 2017
    • FICMY Merida and Yucatan International Film Festival 2017 – International Documentary Competition
    • Afrika Film Festival Cologne 2017
    • Transcreen Film Festival Amsterdam 2017 – Documentary Competition
    • Queer Lisboa 2017 – Documentary Competition
    • Gender Bender Bologna 2017
    • Queerischt Bern 2017
    • Queer Film Festival Oldenburg 2017
    • Beijing Queer Film Festival 2017
    • Chéries-Chéris Paris 2017 – Documentary Competition
    • Carthage International Film Festival 2017 – Documentary Competition
    • London Fringe Queer Films & Arts Festival 2017
    • Arab Cinema Week New York 2017
    • Brussels CinemaMed Film Festival 2017 – Medoc’s
    • Ljubljana International LGBT Film Festival 2017 – Documentary Competition
    • Mawjoudin LGBT Film Festival Tunis 2018
    • Le Garde Chasse théâtre et cinéma Les Lilas 2018
    • CinemAfrika Stockholm 2018
    • Les Rencontres Documentaires de l’IRTS de Lorraine Nancy 2018
    • Zinegoak Bilbao 2018
    • Zinegoak Extension Urnieta 2018
    • Zinegoak Extension Oñati 2018
    • Kvinnohistoriskt Museum Umea 2018
    • Ecrans Mixtes Lyon 2018
    • Afrika Film Festival Leuven 2018
    • BBC Arabic Film Festival London 2018
    • Cinhomo Valladolid 2018
    • ESSTeDesign Tunis 2018
    • Freiburger Lesben Filmtage Freiburg 2018
    • Tunis Doc Film Festival 2018
    • Panama LGBT Film FestIval Espacio Seis 2018
    • Arab Film Festival Paris 2018
    • Madrid Cinema Pride 2018
    • Korea Queer Film Festival Seoul 2018
    • PriFest Prishtina International Film Festival 2018 – Documentary Competition
    • Queerzzine Castelló 2018
    • African Film Festival Tarifa & Tanger 2018
    • African Film Festival Lausanne 2018
    • Mediterranean Film Festival Siroki Brijeg 2018 – Feature Documentary Competition
    • Bari International Gender Film Festival 2018
    • Vinokino Turku + Helsiniki 2018
    • Malmo Arab Film Festival 2018 – Documentary Competition
    • Perlen Hannover 2018
    • Lesgaicinemad Madrid 2018 – Documentary Competition
    • Arab Film Festival Zurich 2018
    • Heinrich Böll Foundation Berlin 2018
    • AKS International Minorities Film Festival Copenhagen 2018
    • Maghreb des Films Film Festival Paris 2018
    • Queer Refugees Network Leipzig 2018
    • Rio de Janeiro Arab Women Film Festival 2019
    • Vues d’en face Grenoble 2019
    • Vues d’Afrique Montreal 2019 – Competition
    • Africa in Motion Glasgow 2019
    • Zinentiendo Zaragoza 2019
    • Luminor Hotel de Ville Paris 2019
    • Centre Socioculturel Pôle Sud Lausanne 2019
    • Cité de la Culture Tunis 2019
    • Cinéma l’Univers Lille 2019
    • Cinema Africà i Dona Barcelona 2020
    • Africa Doolu Barcelona 2020
    • African Diaspora Film Festival New York 2020
    • Bodies In Between Amman Jordan Goethe Institut 2021
    • Ecrans Mixtes Lyon 2022
    • Islamic Film Festival Tokyo 2023


  • FICMY Merida and Yucatan International Film Festival 2017 – Special Mention
  • Transcreen Film Festival Amsterdam 2017 – Second Runner Up
  • Carthage Internationa Film Festival 2017 – Bronze Tanith, ARFT Special Mention
  • Zinegoak Bilbao 2018 – Best Documentary
  • Malmo Arab Film Festival 2018 – Best Documentary
  • Lesgaiciemad Madrid 2018 – Special Menton

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