THE STORY – Marie, an Ivorian pastor and former journalist, has lived in Tunisia for ten years. Her home becomes a refuge for Naney, a young mother seeking a better future, and Jolie, a strong-willed student carrying her family’s hopes. The arrival of a little orphan girl challenges their sense of solidarity in a tense social climate, revealing both their fragility and strength.
THE CAST – Aïssa Maïga, Debora Lobe Naney, Laetitia Ky, Estelle Dogbo, Foued Zaazaa, Mohamed Grayaa & Touré Blamassi
THE TEAM – Erige Sehiri (Director/Writer), Anna Ciennik, Malika Cécile Louati (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 95 Minutes
Erige Sehiri’s new drama, “Promised Sky,” follows three women, a pastor (Aïssa Maïga), a student (Laëtitia Ky), and an exiled mother (Déborah Naney), whose fragile coexistence is disrupted when they take in little Kenza (Estelle Dogbo), a four-year-old orphan child. This setup, so rich with potential, becomes an uneven exploration of migration, identity, and womanhood in contemporary Tunisia. While migration is a global phenomenon, the suffering of migrants takes on different shapes and intensities depending on the context, and Sehiri is clearly fascinated by these nuances. Yet, while her follow-up to “Under the Fig Trees” presents three women with distinct backgrounds, it rarely transcends a surface-level understanding of their struggles.
Sehiri’s script seems more interested in having her characters discuss their sleepless nights than in making the audience feel silent despair. Financial difficulties, spiritual dilemmas, and shared responsibilities should have been fertile ground for fervent storytelling, but they often feel like bullet points rather than lived experiences. This emotional distance is mirrored in the portrayal of Tunis, a city that could have been both a silent observer and an active participant in the film’s narrative. Yet, beyond a few clues leading to the final act, it exists as a passive backdrop, a missed opportunity to ground the narrative in a more vivid sense of place.
One of the most striking aspects of “Promised Sky” is the tension between North African and the broader African identity, which it often shuns. The film subtly reflects a persistent cultural discomfort in the region, where many North Africans view themselves as distinct from “Africans,” a mindset that reveals layers of prejudice and disconnection. Unfortunately, Sehiri touches on this complex self-perception without fully engaging with it. Instead, we are left with scattered hints rather than a profound examination, a missed opportunity given how the subject directly connects to the film’s central themes of belonging and racism.
Its lead performances ultimately keep “Promised Sky” from slipping entirely. Aïssa Maïga and Laëtitia Ky inject gravitas and raw intensity into their roles, filling the void left by the film’s lack of narrative depth. They are complemented by Déborah Lobe Naney, a non-professional actor who makes her debut and quickly establishes herself as the film’s quiet, emotional center. This trio brings a sense of authenticity and talent to the lacking material, transcending the limitations of the script. However, the subplot involving Kenza, the orphaned child, initially seems like it could be a powerful anchor for the story, but it quickly loses its weight. Instead of evolving into a fully realized narrative, it remains a narrative tool, appearing when it is convenient to push the women’s bond forward or heighten the sense of moral responsibility. Rather than exploring the profound impact a child-like Kenza might have on these women’s lives, the film uses her as a fleeting symbol.
Ultimately, “Promised Sky” is a film that shows a lot of promise but rarely delivers. Erige Sehiri’s intentions are commendable; no doubt she wants to probe the intersections of womanhood, displacement, and cultural identity, but the execution is more reflective than revelatory. Despite strong performances and a premise rich with dramatic potential, the film often shies away from emotional and thematic confrontation, leaving viewers with fragments of insight and little of the resonance such a story demands.
