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🇹🇳 Tunisia /Culture & Society

Tunisian Artist Afef Ben Mahmoud Joins Locarno Film Festival Jury

From La Presse · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Tunisian actress, director, and producer Afef Ben Mahmoud has been appointed to the jury for the "Concorso Cineasti del Presente" (Filmmakers of the Present) section at the 79th Locarno Film Festival.
  • The festival, scheduled from August 5 to 15, 2026, in Switzerland, will feature international filmmakers, actors, and producers evaluating emerging talents.
  • Ben Mahmoud will serve alongside Czech producer Radovan Síbrt and Italian director Margherita Spampinato, while her film 'BAKMA' will premiere in the non-competitive 'Fuori Concorso' section.

Tunisian artist Afef Ben Mahmoud has been selected as a jury member for the "Concorso Cineasti del Presente" (Filmmakers of the Present) section at the upcoming 79th Locarno Film Festival.

The prestigious Swiss festival, set to run from August 5 to 15, 2026, announced the official composition of its competitive juries on Thursday. The "Filmmakers of the Present" section is a strategic part of the festival, dedicated to discovering emerging global talents through the evaluation of first and second feature films. Ben Mahmoud, a prominent figure in Tunisia's cultural scene, brings a wealth of experience as an actress, director, producer, and festival director.

She will join a jury that includes Czech producer Radovan Síbrt, co-founder of the company PINK, and Italian director Margherita Spampinato, who received an award last year for her work "Gioia mia." Their collective task will be to award the Pardo d'Oro and other major festival distinctions.

This appointment adds to the festival's Tunisian presence, as Abdelhamid Bouchnak's new independent Tunisian feature film, "BAKMA," has already been selected for the non-competitive "Fuori Concorso" section. The 117-minute film, written and directed by Bouchnak with Aziz Jebali in the cast, will have its world premiere in Switzerland. Eight years after "Dachra," this production by 3SG Group and Shkoon Production will be showcased alongside works by renowned international filmmakers such as Albert Serra and Marco Bellocchio.

Festival Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro praised the diverse assembly of jury members, highlighting their varied sensibilities united in their mission to celebrate the unexpected facets of contemporary cinema. The main international competition (Concorso Internazionale) will be presided over by Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz.

The director of the festival, Giona A. Nazzaro, welcomed the gathering of profiles with diverse sensibilities, united to highlight the unexpected in contemporary cinema.

— Festival Artistic DirectorCommenting on the jury's composition and purpose.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Presse in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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