Based on actual, tragic events, RED PATH stars Ali Helali as a teenage boy who witnesses a brutal, senseless crime during an ill-fated trip into the mountains in Tunisia, and must deal with the fraught, heartbreaking aftermath. Helali, in his debut role, carries the drama seemingly without effort – his innocence shattered in an instant, horror turns to bewilderment and then fortitude.
Following its world premiere at last year’s Locarno International Film Festival, RED PATH has garnered critical acclaim and a host of festival awards, including the Audience Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Best Director and Best Film at the Red Sea International Film Festival, and the Special Jury Prize at the Cinemamed Festival.
The directing debut of prolific playwright Lofti Achour, who based Red Path on the killing of a teenager in Tunisia in 2015, the film “paints a vivid picture of a community where, in any event, childhood is short… an environment in which the threat of violence is constant while the promise of hope is scarce”, (Screen Daily). Drawing naturalistic and deeply affecting performances from his young cast – newcomers Wided Dabebi and Yassine Samouni – the film, beautifully shot by Wojciech Staron (who won the award for Best Cinematography at the Namur International Festival) is evocative, stark and sometimes dreamlike, with an opening section as nerve-wracking as any revenge thriller.
Recalling classic films as disparate and unlikely as Kes, Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia and Dead Man’s Shoes, Red Path strikes a resounding, poignant chord and lingers in the memory long after viewing.
Red Path will have two special previews screenings + Q&As with director Lofti Achour, in conjunction with the SAFAR Film Festival – on 12th June at London’s Cine Lumiere, and 13th June at MAC Birmingham
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
