This laid-back and funny drama reveals a sharp picture of westernised Tunisian youth adrift in the aftermath of the Jasmine Revolution. “Die Welt manages to blend fiction and nonfiction with seamless grace.” — Slant
A smart, funny and emotionally engaging rites-of-passage drama which has the authentic texture of real life
Screened as part of NZIFF 2013
Die Welt 2012
“A jovial and laidback – which isn’t to say carefree or careless – portrait of Tunisian youth caught amid myriad social and economic forces, Die Welt manages to blend fiction and nonfiction with seamless grace. Split into chapters, Alex Pitstra’s economical film charts the day-to-day experiences of 23-year-old DVD shop employee Abdallah (Abdelhamid Naouara), who hilariously introduces himself via a longwinded explanation to a customer about the noxious imperialist undertones of Transformers 2… Die Welt lets its issues of identity, cross-cultural dialogue, political freedom, and familial strains to emerge naturally from Abdallah’s humdrum routines… Pitstra touches on issues of democracy, materialism, and Tunisia’s hypocritical stances toward male and female sexual conduct with a light, observant touch.” — Nick Schager, slantmagazine.com.
“Alex Pitstra’s debut feature marks the arrival of a new Arab talent to be reckoned with.” — Joseph Fahim, Variety