This is a rare screening of Kaouther Ben Hania’s award winning documentary, as part of Genesis’ #DirectedByWomen2017, a season celebrating women filmmakers from around the world.

Tunisia, before the revolution. A man on a motorbike, razor blade in hand, prowls the streets of Tunis slashing women’s buttocks. They call him Challat, aka “The Blade”, and the mere mention of his name provokes fascination and terror. Is he a lone criminal, a simple urban legend, or is this the work of a political group or religious fanatics?
10 years later, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, a stubborn young female director sets out on an investigation to unravel the mystery and find the true Challat of Tunis…

There will be a discussion led by film curator Rosa Abidi following the film.

About Kaouther Ben Hania
Award winning director and scriptwriter Ben Hania completed a degree in Business studies before undertaking film courses at the Tunis film school (EDAC), the FEMIS in Paris, as well as a Masters from the Sorbonne-Nouvelle. Several shorts preceded “Challat of Tunis”, her first feature length documentary. Her first fiction film “Beauty and the Dogs” screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2017.