La Belle et la Meute / Alā kaff ʿifrīt (2017)

BEAUTY AND THE DOGS La Belle et la Meute على كف عفريت Alā kaff ʿifrīt Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania Tunisia, France, 2017 For educational purposes only. When Mariam, a young Tunisian woman, is raped by police officers after leaving a party, she is propelled into a harrowing night in which she must fight for her rights even though justice lies on the side of her tormentors. Employing impressive cinematic techniques and anchored by a tour-de-force performance from newcomer Mariam Al Ferjani, BEAUTY AND THE DOGS tells an urgent, unapologetic, and important story head-on. A rare, startling film from a female Tunisian director, it’s a striking critique on a repressive society and a forcefully feminist rallying cry. It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. It was selected as the Tunisian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, but was not nominated. For educational purposes only.