TEA Museum Screens Award-Winning Film Promises of Heaven This Week
The TEA Tenerife Arts Space is set to showcase Promises of Heaven, directed by Erige Sehiri, from tomorrow (Friday 21) until Sunday (23). This film emerged as a standout at the African Film Festival in Tarifa and Tangier, focusing on the lives of three Ivorian housemates of different generations and a young orphan they take in.
Originally screened in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, the film sensitively portrays the experiences of African migrant women, depicting their journeys as ongoing processes rather than fixed destinations. The film will be shown at 7:00 PM in its original Arabic and French, with Spanish subtitles. The cast includes Aïssa Maïga, Debora Lobe Naney, Laetitia Ky, Estelle Kenza Dogbo, Foued Zaazaa, Mohamed Grayaa, and Touré Blamassi.
Marie, a former journalist turned shepherdess, has lived in Tunisia for ten years. Her home becomes a sanctuary for Naney, a young mother seeking a better life, and Jolie, a strong-willed student burdened by her family’s hopes. The arrival of an orphaned girl strains their solidarity in a tense social environment, highlighting both their vulnerabilities and strengths.
Erige Sehiri, a Franco-Tunisian director, producer, and former journalist, merges documentary realism with narrative film. She began her career with the acclaimed As-Sekka (Railway Men) in 2018, addressing the daily challenges faced by Tunisian railway workers. In 2022, her first feature film, Under the Fig Trees, premiered at Cannes’ 54th Directors’ Fortnight, winning the EcoProd award for sustainable production. This film was also Tunisia’s submission for the 2023 Oscars and enjoyed success at major international festivals.
