April selection

THE SILENCES OF THE PALACE
LES SILENCES DU PALAIS

• Director: Moufida Tlatli
• TUNISIA / 1994 / H264 / Colour / 127’ / Arabic, French; Turkish s.t.

• Screenplay: Moufida Tlatli, Nouri Bouzid
• Director of Photography: Youssef Ben 
• Editing: Moufida Tlatli
• Music: Anouar Brahem
• Cast: Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabry, Najia Ouerghi, Sami Bouajila, Kamel Fazaa, Fatima Ben Saidane, Kamal Twatti
• Producer: Richard Magnien, Ahmed Baha Attia
• Production Co.: MAT Productions
• World Sales: Fortissimo Films

This film is screened within the No More Flowers section of the festival programme.

Theme Sponsor

1995 İstanbul Golden Tulip Best Film
1995 BFI Sutherland Trophy
1994 Cannes Camera d’Or
1994 Toronto FIPRESCI Prize
1994 Chicago Best First Film

Screened in the memory of Moufida Tlatli, who died in February 2021, The Silences of the Palace is her debut film. Tlatli started her career in 1968 as an editor, and worked in numerous films, after which she directed films that tackled traumas women were subjected to, although The Silences of the Palace was her most referred to, acclaimed, and known film. Written by Tlatli and Nouri Bouzid with original music by Anouar Brahem, this "universal coming-of-age story with a feminist twist" depicts the violence of patriarchy, colonialism, and poverty within the frame of power relations and with poetic, painting like frames. The Silences of the Palace is set in the 1960s in Tunisia as the country is emerging from the yoke of colonialism, and follows Alia, a singer who returns years later and visits the palace where her mother was once employed.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.