Oscar-nominated this year – the first Tunisian film ever to secure a nod – The Man Who Sold His Skin is a scalding satire on both the oblivious elitism of the art world and the value (or lack thereof) put on the lives of migrants. A refugee from Syria to Lebanon, Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni) broods on the girlfriend he lost, who is now living in Belgium. The opportunity to travel there presents itself – but there’s a catch: he must allow an artist to tattoo his back, thus becoming a living work of art, available to be bought and sold.
Provocative and challenging, if not the most subtle piece of political commentary, the film certainly cements Kaouther Ben Hania as a name to watch in Arab cinema.
