During 2022 and 2023, the France, Tunisia, and Qatar crime thriller Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation (2022) has taken part in a wide international film festival run where it has collected a number of awards and nominations. This summer, the movie is opening on American theaters and on demand.
The movie follows the investigation when the body of a caretaker is found calcined in the middle of a construction site in the gardens of Carthage, a new district where modern buildings are juxtaposed with abandoned sites and wastelands. As the investigation progresses, a network of violence and corruption is uncovered throughout the city.
Youssef Chebbi, an awards winner filmmaker known for his documentary centering on the Libyan insurrection in the spring of 2012 Babylon (2012) and the thriller Black Medusa (2021), is the writer and director of the film. François-Michel Allegrini is the co-writer of the screenplay.
Fatma Oussaifi, Mohamed Houcine Grayaa, Rami Harrabi, Hichem Riahi, Nabil Trabelsi, Bahri Rahali, Oumaima Mehrzi, and Ghalia Jebali are the stars in Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation (2022).
Since its premiere at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, the movie has been part of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, MOTELX – Lisbon International Horror Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur, BFI London Film Festival, Cinemed Festival Cinéma Méditerranéen Montpellier, Bosphorus Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival, Imagine Film Festival¸ Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Marrakech International Film Festival, Red Sea International Film Festival, Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival, Fespaco Festival, and Jeonju International Film Festival.
Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation (2022) had its theatrical premiere in France on January 25, 2023. This month, it is opening in American theaters and will be available on digital platforms on August 22, 2023. Yellow Veil Pictures is distributing. Watch its official trailer.
