The Fort Worth Press - Mobile cinema brings Tunisians big screen experience

USD -
AED 3.67295
AFN 69.901592
ALL 94.336007
AMD 393.250352
ANG 1.79454
AOA 918.000323
ARS 1022.26969
AUD 1.602898
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.69884
BAM 1.874072
BBD 2.010521
BDT 118.990811
BGN 1.880205
BHD 0.377128
BIF 2943.915831
BMD 1
BND 1.352325
BOB 6.880923
BRL 6.117303
BSD 0.995774
BTN 84.654229
BWP 13.762804
BYN 3.258689
BYR 19600
BZD 2.00161
CAD 1.440589
CDF 2870.000285
CHF 0.896802
CLF 0.035945
CLP 991.819883
CNY 7.299198
CNH 7.30906
COP 4390
CRC 502.39074
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 105.658298
CZK 24.191968
DJF 177.317197
DKK 7.174255
DOP 60.635678
DZD 134.820214
EGP 51.097102
ERN 15
ETB 124.126733
EUR 0.962031
FJD 2.31865
FKP 0.791982
GBP 0.79805
GEL 2.809853
GGP 0.791982
GHS 14.637652
GIP 0.791982
GMD 71.999842
GNF 8602.830559
GTQ 7.672406
GYD 208.324949
HKD 7.76969
HNL 25.276684
HRK 7.172906
HTG 130.26897
HUF 399.050338
IDR 16179.65
ILS 3.64765
IMP 0.791982
INR 85.12765
IQD 1304.414484
IRR 42087.502849
ISK 139.590185
JEP 0.791982
JMD 155.795747
JOD 0.709097
JPY 156.9345
KES 129.250157
KGS 87.000275
KHR 4001.494811
KMF 466.124988
KPW 899.999441
KRW 1453.329981
KWD 0.30816
KYD 0.829812
KZT 522.944395
LAK 21794.540106
LBP 89168.367494
LKR 292.350591
LRD 180.728433
LSL 18.332231
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.892632
MAD 10.021656
MDL 18.341143
MGA 4698.115196
MKD 59.212964
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3397.99987
MOP 7.97156
MRU 39.601
MUR 46.849672
MVR 15.368539
MWK 1726.205872
MXN 20.140145
MYR 4.490183
MZN 63.903729
NAD 18.332231
NGN 1546.449867
NIO 36.642041
NOK 11.34665
NPR 135.44715
NZD 1.772091
OMR 0.384998
PAB 0.995774
PEN 3.707899
PGK 4.037907
PHP 58.597502
PKR 277.163787
PLN 4.109788
PYG 7764.394745
QAR 3.629996
RON 4.786798
RSD 112.556962
RUB 100.225033
RWF 1388.066423
SAR 3.75665
SBD 8.383555
SCR 13.944298
SDG 601.501973
SEK 11.0485
SGD 1.357215
SHP 0.791982
SLE 22.802932
SLL 20969.503029
SOS 569.08232
SRD 35.130964
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.713025
SYP 2512.530243
SZL 18.327728
THB 34.268009
TJS 10.893341
TMT 3.51
TND 3.172929
TOP 2.342098
TRY 35.218085
TTD 6.758272
TWD 32.711038
TZS 2407.501015
UAH 41.761098
UGX 3652.705513
UYU 44.413143
UZS 12838.129186
VES 51.479441
VND 25450
VUV 118.722003
WST 2.762788
XAF 628.546104
XAG 0.033734
XAU 0.000382
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.759575
XOF 628.546104
XPF 114.276406
YER 250.375014
ZAR 18.437355
ZMK 9001.198491
ZMW 27.557229
ZWL 321.999592
  • CMSC

    0.0200

    23.86

    +0.08%

  • RBGPF

    59.9600

    59.96

    +100%

  • RIO

    -0.0900

    58.64

    -0.15%

  • NGG

    0.8200

    58.5

    +1.4%

  • GSK

    0.1700

    33.6

    +0.51%

  • AZN

    0.9100

    65.35

    +1.39%

  • BTI

    0.1131

    36.24

    +0.31%

  • CMSD

    0.0000

    23.56

    0%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0100

    7.27

    -0.14%

  • RELX

    -0.3100

    45.47

    -0.68%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    8.39

    +0.12%

  • BP

    0.1900

    28.6

    +0.66%

  • SCS

    -0.5800

    11.74

    -4.94%

  • BCC

    -0.2600

    122.75

    -0.21%

  • BCE

    0.0500

    23.16

    +0.22%

  • JRI

    0.1100

    12.06

    +0.91%

Mobile cinema brings Tunisians big screen experience
Mobile cinema brings Tunisians big screen experience / Photo: © AFP

Mobile cinema brings Tunisians big screen experience

Like many of his fellow Tunisians, 23-year-old Amine Elhani has never been to the cinema, but now, thanks to a mobile theatre touring the country, he can finally enjoy the big screen.

Text size:

The bright red truck of CinemaTdour, or "moving cinema", has transformed parking lots and factory grounds in underserved towns and neighbourhoods across the North African country into pop-up theatres.

In the central town of Djemmal, dozens of workers unloaded the expandable truck, easily setting up a fully equipped outdoor movie theatre with 100 seats.

"The screen is huge, and the sound effects are amazing," said Elhani, who had so far only watched films on his phone or computer.

He had "never had the chance to go to a movie theatre", he told AFP.

"It's a fantastic experience, especially because I'm watching with friends."

Movie theatres are scarce in Tunisia, numbering at just 15 and largely concentrated in major urban hubs.

Recognising this gap, CinemaTdour was launched in May by private cultural network Agora and nonprofit Focus Gabes, with funding from private donors.

"We wanted a way to reach as many viewers as possible, in a short time and on a limited budget, while offering them an authentic cinematic experience," project director Ghofrane Heraghi told AFP.

Mobile cinemas have long existed in other countries, but Heraghi said CinemaTdour was "unique" for turning a truck into a full-fledged theatre.

Without government funding, CinemaTdour relies heavily on partnerships with private companies to cover costs like film rights, maintenance and staffing.

The truck itself was purchased on credit for about one million Tunisian dinars ($315,000), Heraghi said, with annual operating expenses of around 500,000 dinars.

For 10 days in Djemmal, residents could watch films for free thanks to a partnership with German car parts manufacturer Draxlmaier, which has a factory in the town.

Jihene Ben Amor, Draxlmaier's communications manager in Tunisia, said the company wanted to "contribute to the development" of remote and underserved regions where it operates.

For many workers, earning up to 1,000 dinars a month, the cost of tickets and the journey to a main city with a movie theatre can be prohibitive.

"Having this cinema right outside their workplace also gives workers a sense of pride and belonging," said Ben Amor.

- 'Social impact' -

After Djemmal, CinemaTdour set up in Hay Hlel, an impoverished neighbourhood of the capital Tunis.

Many children gathered around the pop-up theatre, eager for their turn.

Yomna Warhani, 11, was beaming with excitement, anticipating her first ever movie screening.

"I can't wait to see what it's like inside and what films they'll show," she said.

Nejiba El Hadji, a 47-year-old mother of four, said: "It's not just the kids who are thrilled, believe me."

To her, the mobile cinema was a rare source of joy in an otherwise bleak environment.

"We have nothing here, no cultural centres and no entertainment, just the streets," said Hadji.

"People say our kids are lost, but no one does anything about it."

CinemaTdour's two-week stay in Hay Hlel was funded by the World Health Organization, with screenings themed on mental health, smoking and drug abuse, and violence against women.

The shows were tailored for younger audiences as well as for viewers with hearing or visual impairments.

Heraghi, the project head, said that "what drives us is the social impact of culture."

"We want to break stereotypes, shift mindsets, and promote values like social cohesion and community spirit."

In just a few months, CinemaTdour has reached more than 15,000 people, including 7,500 in the southern oasis town of Nefta where a month of free screenings was sponsored by a date exporter.

The project now hopes to secure funding for additional trucks to expand its activities across the country.

But Heraghli has even bigger aspirations, she said, "taking it to Algeria, Libya, and maybe even across Africa".

S.Rocha--TFWP