267. Harka; movie review
HARKA
Cert 15
88 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, disturbing scenes
Just over a decade ago, Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi began a revolution that spread across Africa.
He was so desperate at his impoverished plight and the harassment and humiliation by the establishment that he set himself on fire.
His death prompted huge public protests in Tunisia that led to the deposing of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years in power and precipitated the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya and Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
Uprisings, riots and even civil wars took hold from Morocco to Yemen.
The captivating story of Harka draws its inspiration from Bouazizi's tale.
Lotfy Nathan's movie follows the life of Ali (played by Adam Bessa), who makes ends meet by selling contraband petrol on the streets of his hometown.
Despite his dreams of saving enough money to emigrate to Europe, his father's death and his brother's departure to the coast, force him to look after his two younger sisters (Salima Maatoug and Ikbal Harbi).
But the family's survival hinges on Ali's ability to pay off his father's debts and avoid eviction, so, out of desperation, he turns to working for criminals.
Bessa excels as Ali, a quiet man who becomes more frustrated as the movie progresses and just cannot find a way out of the downward spiral.
His is a straightforward fight for dignity but he simply cannot find a way for his voice to be heard.
Or maybe he can?
Harka gives a bleak representation of poverty in developing countries and how few give a damn about it.
Reasons to watch: Scary insight into breadline life in Tunisia
Reasons to avoid: Takes a while to gain focus
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10
Did you know? The level of poverty in Tunisia is at more than 24%. The gross national income per person is only 3,720 US dollars compared with 43,990 US dollars in France
The final word. Adam Bessa. "The reality of the world is pretty simple. You have money, you exist. You don’t have money, you don’t exist." Arab News
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