Under the Fig Trees

An elegant, intimate drama of sisterhood and generational conflict that explores the lives of three women on a Tunisian orchard.

Acclaimed French-Tunisian documentarian Erige Sehiri makes her narrative debut with this beautifully observed, deeply intimate look at a day in the lives of three women working on an orchard during the summer harvest. Against sun-dappled, Rohmer-esque landscapes, this intergenerational trio of nonprofessional actors share meals, secrets and tears, flirt with their male colleagues, and debate the expectations of patriarchy.

Sehiri’s camera, guided by the exquisite work of her cinematographer Frida Marzouk, becomes an intimate participant in these conversations, observing the affection between the women as they go about their days, while the film orchestrates a delicate dance between vibrant conversation and sometimes painstaking work. Premiering in the Directors’ Fortnight section of this year’s Cannes, Under the Fig Trees is tender, soulful and rich with images that will no doubt whet the appetite.

“An understated and intimate story of sisterhood … Pleasurable and immersive.” – Hollywood Reporter