Ala Eddine Slim’s drama AGORA releases in cinemas across Tunisia

Rife with mystery and thrill, Ala Eddine Slim's social drama AGORA is currently screening multiple times a day in 17 cinemas across Tunisia until the 20th, offering Tunisian audiences a thought-provoking experience that efficaciously blends mystery and drama with the country’s own social issues and history.

Delving into themes of family and community conflict while also addressing contemporary issues such as economic, social, health, and security challenges, mirroring the complex realities of today’s Tunisia, AGORA is set against the backdrop of a remote town, where people who were previously thought to be missing make a sudden return, causing growing tensions within the families, community, and local police.

As a result, local police inspector Fathi, with the help of his doctor friend Amine, tries to understand the enigmatic and bizarre circumstances that led to their initial disappearance and unexpected return. As the investigation deepens, a police inspector from the capital, Omar, arrives to solve the mystery. Will Omar's arrival bring understanding or further complicate matters?

According to Eddine Slim, “AGORA deals with the relationship between law enforcement/secular and religious institutions and the ambiguity that results from the juxtaposition of these two powers.“

Agora recently held its Arab World premiere at the fourth Red Sea International Film Festival after a noteworthy world premiere at the 77th Locarno Film Festival, where it walked home with the Pardo Verde Jury Award — a prestigious accolade given to films that effectively address ecological issues.

Written, directed, edited, and produced by Slim — known for THE LAST OF US and TLAMESS — AGORA features a talented cast, including Neji Kanaweti, who starred in the Berlinale title WHO DO I BELONG TO?; Bilel Slatnia, known for his work in the Tunisian drama DACHRA; Majd Mastoura, who starred in the critically acclaimed HEDI; and Sonia Zarg Ayouna, a rising Tunisian star. Also, MAD World handles the film’s international sales while distribution in Arabic-speaking territories is managed by MAD Distribution.

Ala Eddine Slim is a free-spirited Tunisian filmmaker who develops a singular universe in each of his films. He is particularly interested in exploring marginalization, wandering, change, and territory.

His filmography includes BABYLON, which he co-directed with Youssef and Ismaël Chebbi and won the Grand Prize in the International Competition at FIDMarseille; THE LAST OF US, which won the Lion of the Future Prize at the Venice International Film Festival; and TLAMESS, which won him the Best Director Award at the Marrakech International Film Festival.