The 48th Mediterranean Film Festival in Montpellier, set to take place from October 16 to 24, 2026, has announced its full program, including the participation of three Tunisian films in the "Arab Fantasy Cinema" section. This section is organized in partnership with the "Masqun" festival, the first festival for horror, science fiction, and fantasy films in the Arab world, based in Beirut.
The Tunisian films participating in this section include two feature films and one short film. "Ma Tasma' Kan Al Rih" (2021) by director Youssef Chabi, "Dashra" (2018) by Abdelhamid Boushnak, and "La Bête qui a dévoré le soleil" (2021) by Kais Majri. "Ma Tasma' Kan Al Rih", which runs for an hour and 36 minutes, tells the story of a character named Nida who leads a double life, and it will be screened on October 18 at 9:15 PM at the "Rabelais" center.
"La Bête qui a dévoré le soleil", a short film directed by Kais Majri and produced by Imad Marzouki, will be screened on October 21 at 2:00 PM at the "Corum Einstein" hall, in its original French version with translation. The film is set in Tunisia in 1987, during the presidency of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and follows an investigator named Ayad as he looks into the murder of a child.
On the same day, October 21, at 9:00 PM at the "Rabelais" center, the film "Dashra" will be screened. Directed by Abdelhamid Boushnak, this film blends investigative journalism with horror elements. It follows three journalists, including Yasmine, as they investigate an old case related to a disfigured woman named Mounjia, who was found 25 years ago and admitted to a mental hospital on charges of practicing magic.
The "Arab Fantasy Cinema" section also includes two rare Egyptian films: "Baba Amin" (1950), the first feature film by director Youssef Shahine, and "Fangs" (1981) by Mohamed Shibl, which offers a free Egyptian reading of the film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".
In addition to the film screenings, the festival will also host a professional meeting around genre cinema on October 20 at 11:00 AM. Furthermore, as part of the "Arab-African Series Lab" program, nine writers from 28 African countries are participating in an 11-month training program that started in December 2025.
The Mediterranean Film Festival in Montpellier, established in 1979, is one of the most prominent cinematic events dedicated to Mediterranean and neighboring region cinematographies. The festival brings together film screenings, professional meetings, and related events.
Key points
- Three Tunisian films will be screened at the 2026 Mediterranean Film Festival in Montpellier.
- The festival will also host a professional meeting around genre cinema and a training program for African writers.
- The "Arab-African Series Lab" program aims to support the development of African series.
