release date July 16 2023
Ridha Behi’s THE ISLAND OF FORGIVENESS nominated for 3 Septimius Awards
Award-winning director Ridha Behi’s latest feature film THE ISLAND OF FORGIVENESS was just nominated for three Septimius Awards — Best African Film, Best Actor for Kamil Cagniard, and Best Actress for Katia Greco — the winners of which will be announced in a ceremony held from September 25th to the 26th at the Netherlands’ International Theater Amsterdam.
Additionally, Ridha, Cagniard, and Greco will be attending the ceremony, which will be broadcasted on Dutch television.
In a statement released after the announcement, the Selection Committee of the Septimius Awards praised the film for its “captivating energy and creativity,” which are the hallmark of all of the films it selects.
According to its website, the “Septimius Awards is a prestigious award ceremony, with a strong emphasis on discovering and encouraging new independent talent, supporting visionary films, and bringing together all elements of film-making and storytelling.”
THE ISLAND OF FORGIVENESS is a tumultuous, heart-wrenching drama as witnessed through the eyes of a child named Andrea. The film is directed, written, and produced by Behi; stars Claudia Cardinale, Katia Greco, Paola Lavini, Ali Bennour, and Badis Behi; and is distributed by MAD Solutions.
Previously, the film had its world premiere at the 2022 edition of the Cairo International Film Festival and then eventually made its way to Cairo Cinema Days and Morcco’s Tetouan Film Festival.
“I am truly honored that our film, THE ISLAND OF FORGIVENESS, has received three nominations from the esteemed Septimius Awards. As the film’s writer, director, and producer I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to collaborate with the incredibly talented Katia Greco and the promising young actor, Kamil Cagniard,” said Behi in response to the announcement.
“The nomination for Best African Movie serves as a powerful testament to the increasing recognition of the perils posed by the recent surge in various forms of fundamentalism, which threaten the harmonious coexistence and tolerance that have traditionally existed among diverse cultures, ethnicities, and religious beliefs. This acknowledgment underscores the importance of shedding light on these pressing issues through the medium of film,” he added.
Ridha Behi is a Tunisian director who initially studied sociology and received a master's degree in 1973 from Paris Nanterre University and a Ph.D. in 1977 from the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes before becoming a filmmaker.
His first two feature films, THE HYENA'S SUN and ANGELS, screened at the Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in 1977 and 1985, respectively.
He then went on to direct BITTER CHAMPAGNE; LES HIRONDELLES NE MEURENT PAS À JÉRUSALEM, which won the Critics' Award at the Carthage International Film Festival; THE MAGIC BOX, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and was chosen as Tunisia's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 75th Academy Awards; and THE FLOWER OF ALEPPO, which held its premiere at the 27th Carthage Film Festival and was preselected as the Tunisian entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.
Aside from his directing work, Behi was also named director-general of the Carthage International Film Festival from 2019 to 2021.
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