14/02/2024 - The first feature by Meryam Joobeur follows a Tunisian woman who must face the limits of her maternal love to counteract the growing darkness in her community

Aicha lives in the isolated north of Tunisia with her husband and youngest son. The family lives in anguish after the departure of the eldest sons Mehdi and Amine to the violent embrace of war. When Mehdi unexpectedly returns home with a mysterious pregnant wife, a darkness emerges, threatening to consume the entire village. Aicha is caught between her maternal love and her search for the truth.

This is the synopsis of Who Do I Belong To [+see also:
film review
interview: Meryam Joobeur
film profile], the first feature by Canadian-Tunisian director Meryam Joobeur, which has been selected in Competition at the 74th Berlinale, which will unspool from 15 to 25 February.

Meryam Joobeur is an Academy Award nominated writer, director and producer based in Montréal. Her short Brotherhood (2018), a co-production between Canada and Tunisia, won over 75 international prizes, was screened in 150+ festivals and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action short (a first for a Tunisian film).

"What intrigues me is the commonality among people driven to take extreme measures, whether it's joining a radicalized group, embracing an extreme ideology, or joining a cult. It seems to stem from a shared place—a quest for meaning, a search for security during times of fear, a longing for community, and an outlet for personal wounds, anger, and resentment. It's easy to label something as purely evil and distance ourselves, but understanding the roots of the problem is essential for addressing it. Every culture and religion has experienced extremism, and every civilization or community has, at some point, committed acts of genocide. There is something universal about this dark aspect that warrants examination. I don't aim to provide definitive answers, but through the film, I express my personal journey with darkness and hope that it resonates with audiences, encouraging thoughtful reflection", explains the director.

Who Do I Belong To is produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha for Tanit Films (France), Annick Blanc and Maria Gracia Turgeon for Midi La Nuit (Canada), Sarra Ben Hassen for Instinct Bleu (Tunisia) and Meryam Joobeur, and co-produced by Vincent Dupuis, Victor Lech and Baptiste Leroy for 1888 Films (France), Ramsis Mahfoudh for Godolphin Films (Tunisia) and Dyveke Bjørkly Graver and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar for Eye Eye Pictures (Norway). France's Luxbox handle international sales.

Check our exclusive clips below:

(Translated from Spanish)