Harka

Lotfy Nathan's 2022 film follows Ali, making his living selling contraband petrol on the street in Tunisia. When his father dies the care of his two younger sisters falls to him; they are about to be evicted and no official door opens. The title is a word in North Africa meaning both irregular migration and burning, and the two senses meet inside the story; Ali's situation is tied openly to the street vendor who set himself alight in 2010. Adam Bessa's performance won an award at Cannes. The story is slow and gathers anger without releasing it. The ending is harsh. Who it's for: viewers interested in North African cinema and social realist drama. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a hopeful close, or avoiding content involving self-immolation and violence.