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Ashkal
The investigation into a series of unexplained deaths hints to the supernatural, in this thrillingly unconventional police procedural.
Director: Youssef Chebbi
Overview
In the eerie desolation of the half-built Gardens of Carthage, a major development whose construction was halted in the early days of the Tunisian Revolution, the burned body of a caretaker is found amongst the skeletal remains of forgotten buildings. The local police conclude death by self-immolation, but the discovery of a second victim a few days later leads detectives Batal and Fatma to suspect foul play. As the mysteries mount, the two investigators edge their way closer to a terrifying truth.
Skilfully exploiting the uncanny quiet of this architectural ghost town (breathtakingly shot by Hazem Berrabah), director Youssef Chebbi’s enigmatic fusion of melancholy neo-noir and the fantastical (think True Detective by way of The X-Files) is a politically tinged enigma, trading in bold provocations, rather than easy answers.
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