Venice Film Festival showcases new works by Laaridhi and el-Toukhy

New cinematic works are being highlighted at the Venice Film Festival, featuring diverse perspectives from Tunisian and international directors.

Kamel Laaridhi’s feature debut, ‘The H@llow Man’, is a dystopian sci-fi film set in 2059. Following a global catastrophe that killed 80 percent of the population, survivors live under a regime that mandates bio-chips to prevent future disasters. These chips cause side effects including the loss of long-term memory and emotional suppression. The story follows a protagonist who encounters a resistance member using hypnosis and poetry to help individuals reclaim their emotions.

May el-Toukhy’s film, ‘Woman Unknown’, explores the condition of women in the post-war era of 1945. The narrative focuses on Marie, a young domestic worker and nanny, examining how the female body and social status became battlegrounds during turbulent historical shifts. The film serves as a critique of societal judgment and the struggles faced by women in the aftermath of conflict.