The Sea Ahead Screens at Gabes Cinema Fen, Tunisia, on Wednesday

release date May 08 2022

The Sea Ahead, by Ely Dagher, screens at the 4th edition of Gabes Cinema Fen in Tunisia on Wednesday, May 11 at 2:00 PM, Tunisia time (GMT+1), at L’agora Salle de Cinema. It competes within the official feature films competition.

Gabes Cinema Fen is an emerging and independent film festival for author’s cinema. It strives to re-communicate with the world and end the state of cultural isolation. It celebrates art beyond restrictions.

Tunisia marks the fourth Arab country that the film screens in. It first screened in Egypt at El Gouna Film Festival and in Saudi Arabia at Red Sea International Film Festival. Furthermore, it was commercially released at Cinema Akil in the UAE on April 3rd and for or a month.

The Sea Ahead, landed its world premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight. Furthermore, The Sea Ahead is Ely Dagher’s first feature film who previously won the Palme d’Or award for a short film, making him the first Lebanese film to ever receive such an award.

‘The Sea Ahead,’ has garnered multiple awards throughout its development including Best Film in Post-production at the Final Cut In Venice workshop; CineGouna platform’s award for best project in development phase; and a financial award from Drosos Foundation, in addition to grants from AFAC-Arab Funds For Arts and Culture, Doha Film Institute, Red Sea Fund among others.

The film follows Jana, who returns to Beirut after having been away for a long time. Suddenly, she finds herself reconnecting with the familiar yet strange life she had once left behind.

Directed and written by Ely Dagher, ‘The Sea Ahead,’ is his first feature debut, stars Manal Issa, Yara Abou Haidar, Rabih El Zaher and Roger Azar. The film is produced by Andolfi Production (Arnaud Dommerc), in association with Beachside, and co-produced by Abbout Productions (Myriam Sassine); Wrong Men and Beaver and Beaver. The film is distributed in the Arab world by MAD Solutions.

Beirut based Ely Dagher graduated with an MA in Contemporary Art Studies and New media from Goldsmiths College in London. His work explores the correlation and possibilities created through the play between cultures, histories and fiction.