Red Path / Les Enfants Rouges

In rural Tunisia, Achraf embarks on a dreamlike journey as he confronts the trauma of witnessing his cousin's brutal death.

Director:
Lotfi Achour

Genre:
Drama

Year:
2024

Duration:
100 minutes

Rating:
18+

Country:
Tunisia, France, Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Qatar

Language:
Arabic (Tunisian DIalect)

Subtitling:
English, Arabic

Screenplay: Natacha de Pontcharra (Co-writers: Doria Achour, Sylvain Cattenoy, Lotfi Achour)

Cast: Ali Helali, Yassine Samouni, Wided Dabebi, Jemii Lamari , Latifa Gafsi

Cinematography: Wojciech STAROŃ

Editing: Ewin Ryckaert, Malek Chatta

Production: Anissa Daoud, Sébastien Hussenot, Lotfi Achour

Awards: Audience Award Vanguard -- Vancouver International Film Festival -- Vancouver, Canada - 2024 | Best Director and Best Cinematographer -- Mostra de Valencia -- Valencia, Spain -- 2024 | Best feature and Best Director -- Red Sea Film Festival -- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- 2024

Début Status: Jordanian Première

Film Eligibility: Ali Helali is a first-time lead actor

Synopsis

Mghila Mountain, Tunisia, November 2015. When 14-year-old Achraf and his cousin stray too far from home, a sudden act of violence shatters their world. Achraf survives, burdened with the unbearable task of returning home with a message too horrific to speak. As his village sinks into silence and fear, and the authorities remain absent, Achraf drifts between reality and dream, haunted by loss. Inspired by true events, *Red Path* is a lyrical journey through a child's fractured psyche -- and his quiet, astonishing strength in the face of unimaginable trauma.

Director’s biography

Born in Tunis, Lotfi Achour is a director, author, and producer. After earning his baccalauréat, he began studying economics at the Faculty of Law and Economics in Tunis. Following a family tragedy, he decided to pursue acting and began training at the Grenoble Conservatory. He later studied theater and cinema at the Sorbonne. Achour has created over 25 theatrical works, with his latest co-produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for the 2012 London Olympics. He has also directed three award-winning short films, including "La laine sur le dos", nominated for the Short Film Palme d'Or at Cannes 2016.