As if life for 13-year-old goat herder Achraf (Ali Helali) and his older teen cousin Nizar (Yassine Samouni) isn’t precarious enough in their rural Tunisian community, a trip up the Mghila Mountain brings the added risk of potential landmines and threats from the extremists who hide out there.
Yet danger seems like a far-off possibility as the teenagers play about in mountain pools and tell stories on a sunny day. Until brutal reality arrives, and they are suddenly set upon by jihadists. Childhood is short-lived in this world, Achraf having to drop out of school because his father is not around. It is also an environment in which the threat of violence is constant while the promise of hope is scarce.
Following the brutal death of his cousin, and the trauma that ensues, ‘Red Path’ brilliantly portrays the unbearable grief suffered by the family. An important, visceral, eye-opening film with great performances from all, especially the young Ali Helali. The story is based on the killing of 17-year-old Mabrouk Soltani amid the 2015 Tunisian unrest.
