A SUMMER IN LA GOULETTE

Férid Boughedir

tunisia france belgium 1996 100 min

In the summer of 1966, in the Tunisian port town of La Goulette, three families from different religious communities live side by side in an atmosphere of friendship and harmony. Youssef, a Muslim, Jojo, a Tunisian Jew, and Giuseppe, a Sicilian Catholic, are close friends, as are their three teenage daughters, Meriem, Gigi and Tina. The girls make a daring pact to lose their virginity with boys from different religious backgrounds, challenging the traditions and expectations of their families. Their decision creates conflict between the three families, threatening the peaceful coexistence they have shared, just as the Six-Day War is about to erupt and radically change relations between Jews and Arabs.

• About the film

  Original title Un été à La Goulette

  Arabic title صيف حلق الوادي

  Directed by Férid Boughedir

  Screenplay Férid Boughedir Nouri Bouzid

  Cast Gamil Ratib Mustapha Adouani Guy Nataf Ivo Salerno Sonia Mankaï Sarah Pariente Ava Cohen-Jonathan Hélène Catzaras Amel Hedhili Fatma Ben Saïdane Lisa Seror Claudia Cardinale Michel Boujenah

  Music Jean-Marie Sénia

  Cinematography Robert Alazraki

  Editing Andrée Davanture Catherine Poitevin

  Production Companies Marsa Films Cinarès Production

• Festivals & Awards

  Berlin International Film Festival — Berlinale
  1996 | Official Competition
  Nomination — Golden Bear

  Biennale des Cinémas Arabes — Paris
  1996 | Official Selection
  Special Jury Prize

  Jerusalem Film Festival
  1996 | Official Selection
  Grand Prix du Cinéma Méditerranéen

  Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage — JCC
  1996 | Official Competition
  Best Actor — Mustapha Adouani

  Namur International Francophone Film Festival — FIFF
  1996 | Official Competition
  Nomination — Golden Bayard for Best Francophone Film

  Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid — Seminci
  1996 | Official Selection
  Nomination — Golden Spike

  Festival des Films du Monde de Montréal
  1996 | Official Selection

  Cairo International Film Festival
  1996 | Official Selection

  FESPACO — Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou
  1997 | Official Competition