Tunis, summer 2010, a few months before the revolution. Farah, 18, has passed her exams. Passionate about music, she is the lead singer of a protest rock band, living for the stage and moments shared with her boyfriend Borhène. Concerned that her daughter is attracting the attention of authorities, her mother tries by all means to reason with her and direct her to study medicine. But Farah decides to continue singing, no matter the risk.

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A well-known refrain: a film about the oppressed people of a country, seen through the eyes of a young freedom-loving character, and filmed as a great political act that resonates through the festivals worldwide. But reducing As I Open My Eyes to this definition does not do it justice. Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid’s debut is full of life, energy and heart, with a sensitivity that provides a great contrast to the state of the country in 2010. Full of passion and fragility, the woman-child played by Baya Medhaffar embodies the strength of the film, opposite the excellent Ghalia Benali. Much less pretentious and ridiculous than The Persian Cats, another film about protest music within a dictatorship, As I Open My Eyes holds the promise of a talent to watch...