19/08/2024 - Ala Eddine Slim’s film merges auteur thriller with fable to explore socio-political unrest in Tunisia through the mysterious return of the dead

Tunisian director Ala Eddine Slim is in competition at the Locarno Film Festival with Agora [+see also:
trailer
interview: Ala Eddine Slim
film profile], a film that blends auteur thriller with elements of fable. Set in a remote Tunisian town, the story begins with the mysterious reappearance of three missing locals, disrupting the community as the revenants – so named because they are neither truly alive nor dead – portend a deeper, more sinister malaise. As fish die, crops are decimated by birds and the town’s residents struggle to reconcile with the spectral figures of their past, the atmosphere becomes increasingly fraught with tension and uncertainty. Slim punctuates these strange occurrences with ruminations on the nature of humanity, voiced by a blue dog and a black crow, who attribute the town’s decline to human decadence. In his previous films, The Last of Us and Tlamess [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ala Eddine Slim
film profile], Slim explored themes of memory, loss, and the tension between nature and urban life. These films, known for their minimal dialogue and evocative, atmospheric imagery, established Slim’s distinctive style, one he now applies to this rural, apocalyptic tale with echoes of Twin Peaks.

In Agora, local inspector Fathi (Neji Kanaweti) and his friend Amine (Bilel Slatnia), a doctor, struggle to make sense of the mysterious events while attempting to keep them hidden from the townspeople. Their efforts falter, leading to the intervention of a special unit dispatched from the capital. This team, led by the clean-shaven, sunglasses-sporting Omar (Majd Mastoura), conducts an investigation that starts pragmatically but gradually shifts towards a more philosophical exploration of existence and the failures of the past. Omar’s arrival heightens the tension in the town, and as his attempts to restore order falter, he calls in his superior, an enigmatic doctor played by Sonia Zarg Ayouna. The narrative, initially framed as a crime-thriller, transitions seamlessly into a conspiracy thriller, with Slim’s style evolving towards a more poetic register.

Agora is rooted in the socio-political landscape of contemporary Tunisia, reflecting the economic, social and security challenges facing the country. The story critiques the failures of the authorities and the systemic issues that lead to the marginalisation and neglect of communities. The revenants in the film symbolise unresolved traumas and unaddressed injustices: one is a woman who supposedly fell to her death while attempting to emigrate from Tunisia, another is a victim of a Jihadist attack, and the third is a worker who disappeared in a factory quarry. All three cases draw inspiration from real-life incidents that were never thoroughly investigated.

Cinematographer Youssef Rouissi captures the contrast between the decaying urban landscape and the persistent presence of nature, with stray dogs serving as a recurring motif. On one hand, the film’s use of long takes and minimal dialogue enhances its contemplative tone, while on the other, Slim’s preference for fixed, close-up shots intensifies the claustrophobic atmosphere. Agora is structured into chapters, each delving into different facets of the mystery and the community’s response to the returnees, mirroring the fragmented memories and unresolved emotions of a town haunted by its past.

As the story progresses, the movie’s political message becomes increasingly apparent. The authorities’ focus on covering up the events, rather than uncovering the truth behind the revenants, emerges as a key theme, serving as a commentary on the state of Tunisia. By the film’s conclusion, Agora has shifted away from its mystery-crime roots, fully embracing its origins as a poetic fable while maintaining its sharp socio-political critique.

Agora is a Tunisian-French-Saudi-Qatari co-production staged by Exit Production and co-produced by Cinenovo. MAD Solutions handles the international sales.