HEDI (2016, Tunisia) tackles the story of a shy young Tunisian car salesman whose domineering mother arranges a match for him to a girl whom he begins to like. But when he is sent to a different city on an office assignment, he meets a well-travelled, independent woman who works as a freelance dancer at the hotel and abroad – and they enter into a passionate relationship that helps him to overcome his awkwardness. As his marriage approaches and relatives gather for the imminent ceremony, he is required to take a call…
This impressive debut film by Mohamed Bin Attia has Dardenne Brothers as one of its producers, and the influence is obvious: It displays the same narrative urgency and political subtext that mark all of Dardenne Brothers’ films. This film, and another of his – DEAR SON (2018) is playing on MUBI.
Ranjan das is a Mumbai based filmmaker and faculty.