Fatima 75

Review by Abby Hawkins

The Short:

The story of Fatima, a university student, is used to explore the political history of Tunisian women through the 20th century.

The Long:

Fatima 75 follows Fatima, referencing the name given to Arab women by French colonizers, a university student in Tunisia, depicting her struggles to further her education and fight for gender equality. The film pans between the artifice of Fatima’s narrative and authentic footage from interviews, protests, and other archival material to tell the interlocked stories of Tunisian independence and Tunisian women’s fight for equality. Banned until recently in Tunisia, director Selma Baccar’s Fatima 75 is considered the first full-length, non-fiction film directed by a Tunisian woman, and highlights the progress made towards women’s emancipation while simultaneously reflecting on the necessity to continue efforts furthering women’s liberation.

To watch or not to watch:

Definitely a watch! Fatima 75 is a defining film for anyone interested in the development of the neorealism film genre in the Maghreb, combining elements of interviews and footage from protests with the compelling, fictitious yet realistic story of Fatima and her personal struggles for liberation. This film is also a must-watch to learn more about the often overlooked role women have played throughout Tunisian history, and its direct, candid approach in depicting both the accomplishments and incompleteness of the fight for equality sets it apart from other films focusing on topics of a similar nature.