Slideshow
PROMISED SKY
DIRECTED BY ERIGE SEHIRI
In Tunisia, a community of Ivorians led by Marie, the charismatic pastor of the Church of Perseverance and a former journalist, support and protect each other in the face of increasing state racism against sub-Saharan Africans—“they’re eating cats” is the rumor that spreads—including police raids and mass arrests. Naney is a feisty single mother who hustles to survive and to someday reunite with her daughter; Jolie is a privileged, aloof college student, presumably protected by her documented status; and four-year-old nonspeaking Kenza has just washed up on their shores, literally, having survived a shipwreck with no knowledge of her family or fellow refugees. Each has her dreams and heartbreaks to contend with; and while Marie, the eldest and wisest, sees that individualism will get them nowhere, Naney, Jolie, and Kenza must ultimately each find their own way. A chillingly resonant story for our times.
Presented with support from The Endowed Fund for Emerging Filmmakers
2025 95 MIN. FRANCE / TUNISIA / QATAR IN FRENCH AND ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES FILM MOVEMENT
Trailer
Reviews
“Deeply human... visually and texturally truthful thanks to Sehiri’s authentic point of view and cinematographer Frida Marzouk’s poetic lens... packs a punch when Sehiri underscores just how deeply rooted (and similar-sounding) anti-migrant sentiments are around the world.”
– Tomris Laffly, Variety
“Casts a warm glow... a bittersweet celebration of endurance and sacrifice with notable newcomer Debora Lobe Naney giving a winning performance as a vibrant spirit, determined to survive everything that life throws at her.”
– Allan Hunter, Screen International
“A heartbreaking drama that hits home... An intimate view from the diverse perspectives of those caught in the mess of systemic prejudice, and how difficult it can be to play fair when the deck is stacked against you... Strong performances and a ripped-from-the-BBC story make for a heartbreaking reflection on the challenges of being moral in an immoral place. PROMISED SKY’s glimpse of the uncertainty ingrained into the lives of a vulnerable population is set in Tunisia, yet it’s unnerving how seamlessly it could take place in the United States.”
– Kent M. Wilhelm, The Film Stage
“This heart-wrenching drama about a makeshift family trying to stay afloat is buoyed by vulnerable performances and some spectacular imagery... Between its close-up shots and blue-hued cinematography, PROMISED SKY casts a soulful, almost nostalgic eye over the lives of its characters, while lending specificity to its depiction of shared experiences of womanhood through snapshots of the dehumanization that migrants endure.”
– Anzhe Zhang, Slant
