In cooperation with Mayadin Al-Tahrir e.V. and Werkstatt der Kulturen.
Film: The Man Behind the Microphone
by Claire Belhassine
Documentary, 2017, Tunisia/UK/Lebanon, 86 min, Arabic/French with English Subtitles
This is a personal quest into the story of a Tunisian musicians’ family undertaken by Hedi Jouini's granddaughter Claire Belhassine. Only as an adult she discovers that her grandfather was one of the most popular musical stars in recent Tunisian history. Up to date his songs continue to inspire revolutionaries and conservatives alike, striking at the heart of the post-colonial social and political upheaval of Tunisia and its continuing search for identity. But as her story unravels, Belhassine discovers some unsettling and painful aspects along with an old secret that Jouini had successfully kept from his family and the nation that worshipped him alike.