Full Description
Based upon the rise and fall of director Ariel Zeitoun's late father, a Tunisian Jewish merchant. I, BAJOU is a film of epic proportions, spanning several decades in the life of one family and the historical transitions in 20th-century Tunisia, from colonialism to German occupation to the rise of nationalism. From his humble beginnings as an orphaned farmhand, Bajou transforms himself into a shrewd businessman whose chameleon-like politics and charm help him to prosper. The crown of his success is the beautiful Habiba, whom he marries against her will. After the wedding, when she is raped by her betrothed, Habiba's plight becomes the focus of this saga. Her story reveals the powerlessness and confinement of a woman in a patriarchal culture who must endure a loveless marriage. Years later, with Bajou in financial disgrace and Tunisian nationalism on the rise, the family is forced to emigrate to France. On his departure, Bajou's Muslim friend pleads with him to tell his grandchildren about the days when Muslims and Jews lived together peacefully in Tunisia.
