The film deals with women's self-assertion and emancipation problems in a fast changing society. Leïla, amina, and Naïma are three modern Tunisian women in love with their freedom. In their day-to-day, they are faced with reactionary traditionnal values that their society strives hard to impose upon them. Leïla comes from a humble background and loves Hassan, whose is strongly opposed to their marriage, on the pretence taht they are related. Amina is 34 and got married when she was still a student to her philosophy teacher, who is steeped in liberal ideas. She is realizing today that their love was nothing more than mere illusion. Naïma is 45 and is a physician. She is leaving on her own with her daughter soaked in the memory of a love affair she had when she was youger and which she was forced to quit for a marriage imposed on her by her family.

Three women of varying ages, modem, talented and vital, find themselves in a struggle with tradition's constraining expectations. Inevitably, that struggle involves the men in their lives and leads to bitter choices. A fascinating, haunting entry into a world in which the literal veil has been lifted, but a metaphorical veil remains everpresent, Honey & Ashes won the prize for Best First Feature Film at the 1997 San Francisco International Film Festival.
In Arabic with English subtitles.

HONEY & ASHES (1996, Tunisia, 80 min.), directed by Nadia Fares.

Scénario / Screenplay : Nadia Fares
Photo/Photography : Line Lokken Ramirez
Son/ Sound : Hechim Joulak
Montage / Editing : Valérie Bregaint
Musique/ Music : Jean François Bovardn Rami Azairez
Interprètes/ Actors : Nozha Khoudouadra (Nozha Khouadra), Amel Ledhili, Samia Mzali, Lara Chaouachi.

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Der vielfach preisgekrönte Debütfilm HONIG UND ASCHE erzählt aus weiblicher Sicht die Geschichte dreier arabischer Frauen aus Tunesien, gefangen zwischen Tradition und Moderne. Ein einfühlsamer Film über die Schwierigkeit weiblicher Selbstverwirklichung in teils unterschwelligen, teils rigiden patriarchalen Verhältnissen: Die Ärztin Naima, die Universitätsabsolventin Amina und die junge Leila versuchen, ihr Leben und ihre Beziehungen mit Männern zu gestalten.

Regie: Nadia Fares; Buch: Nadia Fares & Yves Kropf; Kamera: Ismael Ramirez; Musik: Jean-Francois Bovard;
mit Nozha Khouadra, Amel Ledhili, Samia Mzali, Lara Chaouachi
Schweiz / Tunesien 1996 OmU / 80 Min.