BSIFF 2025: Saifeddine Lahmar’s “No Harrisa” Shoulders The Weight of Identity and Tunisian Food Traditions

Saifeddine Lahmar’s No Harrisa tells the story of Taher, a Tunisian man who, due to his uncommon intolerance to harissa in a society that cherishes it, faces humiliation and ostracism. His girlfriend breaks up with him, leading him to question his place and identity in the society. But when he encounters a special community of people with a similar aversion, he learns to embrace his identity without the pressures of conformity. In the opening of the eighteen-minute short film, harissa is described as “a spicy chili pepper made from sun-dried peppers, garlic, olive oil and aromatic spices.” Originating from Tunisia and also available in Egypt as well, it is more than just a condiment for the people, but a crucial part of their food culture without which “a Tunisian meal (and soul) feels incomplete.” No Harrisa uses this food item as a symbol for navigating the boundaries of sociocultural normativity and deviance.

Through the film’s protagonist and narrative, writer-director Lahmar, a journalism and film student from Northwestern University in Chicago, pays homage to his Tunisian roots, reimagines Tunisian cinema, and marks his filmmaking debut. A surreal comedy with realist overtures, the short film addresses pertinent questions on identity: What is identity? Can it be controlled and programmed for ourselves? Is it something shaped by the environment and spaces we exist in? A peep into Lahmar’s background brings light to these concerns as well.

Lahmar was born and raised in Djerba, a small island in south Tunisia, a culturally diverse country with a history that includes waves of French and Ottoman colonialism and migrations across the Mediterranean. Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, as Saif rightly acknowledges, the weight of diversity persists across religion, culture and thought. Growing up, he was exposed to Egyptian cinema, which was the norm in Tunisia since both countries, home to the oldest film industries in Africa, are situated in the North African region with shared cultural values. Following his high school education in his home country, he had the opportunity to attend the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, after which he travelled to the United States for further studies. His exposure to diverse environments shaped his identity and sharpened his understanding of the world. With his advanced knowledge, he became interested in making films that would be a fresh breath in Tunisian cinema. He remained confident in his newly acquired ideas about screenwriting, structure and style, hoping to influence the emerging generation of Tunisian filmmakers. No Harissa is a brainchild of this novel adventure.

Having no ties to the film industry in Tunisia and no substantive budget to work with, Lahmar trusted his guts and turned to family and friends for the execution of No Harissa. A week before returning home for the summer, he contacted a few acquaintances, asking if they knew any film students and production companies. His friend and partner, Selima Terras, who also composed the music for the film, introduced him to a film student, which led to further connections. When he arrived, the network grew quickly. His cast came mostly from a local theatre club in Djerba. For most of these actors, it was their initiation into screen acting. His family, particularly his sisters who were members of the club, helped with casting, costumes and set design. The chilli peppers came from a local trader who lent the production about sixty kilos for three days. One of the filming locations was a UNESCO World Heritage site in Djerba, which gave the film a contemporary social weight. To the entire cast and crew, it all felt like testing the waters, yet everyone brought in their A-game. The concerted efforts birthed a breakthrough, as the film would make the official selections of international film festivals.

One of the latest milestones of No Harissa is its selection for the 10th edition of BlackStar International Film Festival (BSIFF 2025) in Ghana. BSIFF 2025 took place from September 24th to 28th, under the theme “The Relevance of Film in Society.” Lahmar had long admired the festival for how it brought together African filmmakers. During his internship at the Aspen Institute in the United States, he met and interviewed Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, the founder of the festival, who urged him to submit his film. While he was unable to physically attend because of school commitments, he followed the conversations and panels from abroad. The film was nominated for the Student Showcase prize at BlackStar Awards, alongside Jonathan Awinsakiya’s The Power of the String which eventually won it. For Lahmar, the recognition is an induction into a network of culturally conscious and socially driven storytellers at a continental level.

Situating No Harissa within the broader context of Tunisian cinema presents a complicated picture. On the international stage, the industry has produced films that have travelled to Sundance and earned Oscar nominations. Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab was recently chosen as the Tunisian entry for the best international feature film at the 98th Academy Awards. Amel Guellaty’s Where The Wind Comes screened at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. At the local level, however, Tunisian cinema has struggled to maintain authenticity, with its screenwriting, as observed by Lahmar, heavily reliant on French influences. While documentary filmmaking maintains a stronghold on the country with crew members such as cinematographers, sound designers and producers consistently demonstrating a desire for excellence, its screenwriters often need to explore international training opportunities to hone their skills.

As distribution remains one of Africa’s major filmmaking challenges, many African films have been difficult to access outside the immediate regions where they were made. Lahmar himself experienced this while growing up, as he only ever saw Egyptian or North African films on television, with productions from sub-Saharan Africa completely out of the people’s domestic purview. For him, this lacuna speaks to the unfortunate fragmentation of African cinema. To solve this problem, he proposes the need for development of unified, accessible and essentially Afrocentric streamers, such as Artify, a subscription service for Tunisian films, that caters to African filmmakers and audiences.

For now, Lahmar’s plans for No Harissa remain within the festival circuit, as he looks forward to reaching more audiences. The film is already slated for festival screenings in Egypt, Kuwait and Germany this November and December. After this stage, he will consider the possibility of having it on a streaming platform, even if that makes it only accessible to the local audience. But the filmmaker has other plans for the industry beyond hawking his film around. He intends to begin a social media series where he will document his filmmaking journey, attempt to demystify the industry and awaken young African filmmakers like himself to conversations around funding, distribution, festival submissions and other hassles.