Man of Ashes

On the eve of his arranged marriage, Hachemi, a young introspective woodcarver from the Tunisian coastal town of Sfax, is tormented with flashbacks from his youth. He begins a personal journey, recalling when he and his best friend were molested as well as his explosive conflicts with his father. None of Hachemi's friends or family understand or want to listen to him. He takes solace in a visit to Levy, a Jew whom he knows from his childhood. The old man attempts to console him with music, but to no avail. Hachemi is burdened with a huge sense of guilt because he feels he is inadequate for the role of husband. In his tradition-bound culture, his inability to conform leaves him cut off from his family and boxed in by repressed desires. An intriguing look at the experience of "otherness" in an Arab culture. This ambitious first film is shot with a nervous energy that echoes the hero's anxiety.