As I Open My Eyes
| As I Open My Eyes | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Leyla Bouzid |
| Produced by | Sandra da Fonseca |
| Written by |
Leyla Bouzid Marie-Sophie Chambon |
| Starring | Baya Medhaffer |
| Music by | Khyam Allami |
| Cinematography | Sébastien Goepfert |
| Edited by | Lilian Corbeille |
| Distributed by | Shellac |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country |
France Tunisia Belgium UAE |
| Language |
Tunisian Arabic French |
| Box office | $46,189[1][2] |
As I Open My Eyes (French: À peine j'ouvre les yeux) is a 2015 French-Tunisian drama film directed by Leyla Bouzid. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.[3] Baya Medhaffar stars as a teenage rock singer. The film is Bouzid's first feature. It was selected as the Tunisian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.[4] However, the film was not included on the final list of submissions published by the Academy.[5]
Plot
In the summer of 2010 just before the start of the Jasmine Revolution, Farah joins a rock band as their lead singer. She continues to sing and rebel even as the police begin to follow her and her movements are monitored.
Cast
- Baya Medhaffar as Farah
- Ghalia Benali as Hayet
- Montassar Ayari as Borhėne
Reception
The film received positive reviews upon its release. It holds a 100% fresh ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5 average rating.[6] The critic for Variety called it an "impressive debut" and called Medhaffer's acting "a stand-out lead perf".[7] A critic for Indiewire gave the film a score of A- and called it "the Best Fictional Film Yet About the Arab Spring"[8] The Hollywood Reporter was less enthused about the film criticizing its "mostly familiar notes" but praising the cinematography and acting.[9]
Accolades
| Award / Film Festival | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumières Awards[10] | Most Promising Actress | Baya Medhaffar | Nominated |
| Best French-Language Film | Nominated | ||
| Venice International Film Festival[11] | BNL People's Choice Award | Won | |
| Europa Cinemas Label Award (Venice Days) | Won | ||
See also
- List of submissions to the 89th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Tunisian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
- ↑ "'As I Open My Eyes' (2016)". Boxofficemojo. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- ↑ "As I Open My Eyes (À peine j'ouvre les yeux)". The Numbers. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ↑ "Sandra Bullock's 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Robert Redford's 'Truth' to Premiere at Toronto". Variety. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
- ↑ "Officiel : 'A peine j'ouvre les yeux' de Leyla Bouzid représentera la Tunisie aux Oscars 2016". Tuniscope. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ↑ "85 Countries In Competition For 2016 Foreign Language Film Oscar". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ↑ "As I Open My Eyes (À peine j'ouvre les yeux)". Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ↑ WEISSBERG, JAY. "Film Review: 'As I Open My Eyes'". Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ Aftab, Kaleem. "Venice Review: 'As I Open My Eyes' is the Best Fictional Film Yet About the Arab Spring". Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ van Hoeij, Boyd. "'As I Open My Eyes' ('A peine j'ouvre les yeux'): Venice Review". Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ↑ "Prix Lumières 2016 : Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse et Mustang en tête des nominations". AlloCiné. 4 January 2016.
- ↑ "Palmares 2015". Venice Days.