Le verrou (The Lock)

Spoken: French/Arabic. Subtitles: English. 

Today’s Tunis. Three women, three testimonies. Houda, Mabrouka and Faouzia share the 'tasfih', a ritual aimed to protect young girls from any penetration, desired or suffered, before the wedding. The spell 'locks' girls, and 'opens' young women before their wedding night. The Lock is about the female body, its representation to the public and private area, and women’s roles within the family and Tunisian society. A reflection on a legacy torn between tradition and a need for emancipation.