Retour
In our discussion with Sonia Zarg Ayouna, Bilal Slatnia, and Majd Mastoura, we will return to the question of performance in Agora, focusing in particular on the film’s minimalist and deeply internalized acting approach. We will explore how this expressive restraint allows the actors to embody characters infused with collective memory, while remaining in harmony with the director’s contemplative cinematic vision.
2 hours
ECHOS Cinématographiques
L’Artisto
Registration deadline
19-04-2025
Meeting schedule : In person at Artisto
Target audience : Film professionals, students, amateurs and enthusiasts
Language of the meeting : Tunisian / French
Number of participants : Open to the public, subject to availability
Duration and schedule : Friday 20 April 2025 at 4.00 pm 2 hours
2 hours
Registration deadline : Open event - (Registration possible until 18 April)
Speakers / Trainers
Ghazi Zaghbani : has always been passionate about theatre, cinema and music, and has explored a wide range of fields, including directing, screenwriting, playwriting, acting and producing. A graduate of the Institut Supérieur des Arts Dramatiques, he has written, performed in and directed over twenty plays, and taken part in films, sitcoms and television series, but for him, theatre and cinema remain his top priorities: more than a job, it's a passion, and his aim is to integrate creation into everyday life and get young people involved in this discipline. In 2010, he launched his own cultural space ‘L'artisto’, which serves as a laboratory for his creations and a place to share his experience as an actor's director through theatre workshops where he offers training, shows and art at will.
Sonia Zarg Ayouna : actress, translator, director and former co-director of the Théâtre de l'Etoile du Nord (2000-2016), has left her mark on the Tunisian and Parisian cultural scene through her artistic versatility. A graduate of the Institut Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Tunis in 1994, she has directed such remarkable plays as ‘Chroniques...’ by Xavier Durringer in 2021 and ‘Nage libre’, her own creation, in 2006. Sonia has also distinguished herself as an actress in theatre and film productions, particularly in “Sois mon amie”, for which she was awarded the Tanit for Best Supporting Actress at the Carthage Film Festival in 2000. A talented translator, she has adapted major works into French, helping to enrich the cultural exchange between the French-speaking and Arab worlds. Committed to developing the artistic scene, she co-created the "Juste Textuel" collective and organises meetings to promote contemporary theatrical writing.
Majd Mastoura: He made his screen debut in Jilani Saadi's feature film Bidoun 2 in 2013. This was followed by Mohamed Ben Attia's Hedi, for which he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlinale in 2016. Alongside his acting career, Majd is studying for a bachelor's degree in theatre studies at the Sorbonne-Nouvelle in 2019 and a diploma from the Ecole Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in 2021. He played in ‘After’ by Anthony Lapia, selected for the Berlinale 2023 in the Panorama section. He also played in ‘Les filles d'Olfa’ by Kaouther Ben Hania, selected for the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival and shortlisted for the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2023. ‘Behind The Mountains’, his second film with Mohamed Ben Attia, was selected for the Orrizonti selection at the Venice International Film Festival in 2023. He was also part of the cast of ‘Agora’ by Alaeddine Slim, selected at Locarno in 2024. In 2025, he directed his first play, "Une fête dans ma tête".
Bilel Slatnia : is a Tunisian actor who trained with leading theatre figures such as Fadhel Jaïbi, Taoufik Jebali, Jaâfar Guesmi and Meriem Ben Chabane. He gained critical acclaim for his role in ‘AGORA’ by Alaeddine Slim, a film awarded the Pardo Verde at the 2024 Locarno Film Festival. He also plays the male lead in ‘The Needle’ by Abdelhamid Bouchnak, a film that garnered accolades across several international festivals, following his standout performance in ‘Dachra’, a landmark of Tunisian genre cinema. On television, Bilel Slatnia plays roles in very popular series such as ‘Nouba’, ‘Ragouj 'and ‘Garibaldi ', which have met with great success with the public. On stage, he starred in ‘Toxic Paradise’ by Sadak Trabelssi, a critically acclaimed production that won several awards, including the Tanit d'Or at the Carthage Theatre Days (JTC) 2025 and the Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Award.