Kaouther Ben Hania

Directing

Kaouther Ben Hania

Born

1977-08-27 (49)

Place of birth

Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia

Known for

Directing

Credits

29 titles

Kaouther Ben Hania (Arabic: كوثر بن هنية; born August 27, 1977; Sidi Bouzid) is a Tunisian filmmaker. Beauty and the Dogs (2017), her best-known film, was selected as the Tunisian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Her 2020 film The Man Who Sold His Skin was nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Kaouther Ben Hania was born in Sidi Bouzid. She studied at the Ecole des Arts et du Cinéma (EDAC) in Tunisia, then studied at La Fémis and the Sorbonne in Paris.

Known for

Democracy Now! poster
6.9

A United States daily progressive, nonprofit, independently syndicated program of news, analysis, and opinion.

Democracy Now!

2001

The Oscars poster
7.1

An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, that is better known by its nickname Oscar.

The Oscars

1953

C ce soir poster
2.0

No synopsis available yet.

C ce soir

2021

The Voice of Hind Rajab poster
8.1

January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A five-year old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab.

The Voice of Hind Rajab

2025

Cérémonie des César poster
4.6

The César Awards are cinematographic awards created in 1976 and presented annually in Paris to professionals of the 7th art in various categories to recognize the best French productions. They are often cited as the French equivalent of the Oscars in the United States.

Cérémonie des César

1976

Four Daughters poster
7.4

Between light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear. To fill in their absence, the filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses and invents a unique cinema experience that will lift the veil on Olfa and her daughters' life stories. An intimate journey of hope, rebellion, violence, transmission and sisterhood that will question the very foundations of our societies.

Four Daughters

2023

Series credits

Behind the camera

The Voice of Hind Rajab poster
8.1

January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A five-year old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab.

The Voice of Hind Rajab

2025

The Voice of Hind Rajab poster
8.1

January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A five-year old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab.

The Voice of Hind Rajab

2025

Four Daughters poster
7.4

Between light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear. To fill in their absence, the filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses and invents a unique cinema experience that will lift the veil on Olfa and her daughters' life stories. An intimate journey of hope, rebellion, violence, transmission and sisterhood that will question the very foundations of our societies.

Four Daughters

2023

Four Daughters poster
7.4

Between light and darkness stands Olfa, a Tunisian woman and the mother of four daughters. One day, her two older daughters disappear. To fill in their absence, the filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania invites professional actresses and invents a unique cinema experience that will lift the veil on Olfa and her daughters' life stories. An intimate journey of hope, rebellion, violence, transmission and sisterhood that will question the very foundations of our societies.

Four Daughters

2023

Beauty and the Dogs poster
7.0

When Mariam, a young Tunisian woman, is raped by police officers after leaving a party, she is propelled into a harrowing night in which she must fight for her rights even though justice lies on the side of her tormentors.

Beauty and the Dogs

2017

The Man Who Sold His Skin poster
6.6

To be able to travel to Europe and find the love of his life, Sam Ali, a Syrian refugee, accepts to have his back tattooed by one of the most sulfurous contemporary artist; becoming that way a precious work of art.

The Man Who Sold His Skin

2021

The Man Who Sold His Skin poster
6.6

To be able to travel to Europe and find the love of his life, Sam Ali, a Syrian refugee, accepts to have his back tattooed by one of the most sulfurous contemporary artist; becoming that way a precious work of art.

The Man Who Sold His Skin

2021

I And the Stupid Boy poster
6.1

Nora is a striking young girl in new love. We see her dancing around her bedroom, lip-synching, testing outfits, in between sending heart emojis, and more, to the special boy. All dressed up, she takes a short cut through an abandoned building, on the way for her hot date. Kevin pulls up in the background on his scooter. He's Nora's recent ex, jilted and jealous. Kevin grabs Nora's phone, and what ensues is a now universal 21st century story of male-female power, sexuality and shame with a biting, feminist twist.

I And the Stupid Boy

2021

I And the Stupid Boy poster
6.1

Nora is a striking young girl in new love. We see her dancing around her bedroom, lip-synching, testing outfits, in between sending heart emojis, and more, to the special boy. All dressed up, she takes a short cut through an abandoned building, on the way for her hot date. Kevin pulls up in the background on his scooter. He's Nora's recent ex, jilted and jealous. Kevin grabs Nora's phone, and what ensues is a now universal 21st century story of male-female power, sexuality and shame with a biting, feminist twist.

I And the Stupid Boy

2021

The Blade of Tunis poster
6.1

Tunisia, before the revolution. A man on a motorbike, razor blade in hand, prowls the streets of Tunis slashing women's buttocks. They call him The Challat, aka "The Blade", and the mere mention of his name provokes fascination and terror. Is he a lone criminal, an urban legend, or could he be the creation of a political group or religious fanatics? 10 years later, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, a stubborn young female director sets out on an investigation to unravel the mystery and discover the true Challat of Tunis...

The Blade of Tunis

2014

The Blade of Tunis poster
6.1

Tunisia, before the revolution. A man on a motorbike, razor blade in hand, prowls the streets of Tunis slashing women's buttocks. They call him The Challat, aka "The Blade", and the mere mention of his name provokes fascination and terror. Is he a lone criminal, an urban legend, or could he be the creation of a political group or religious fanatics? 10 years later, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, a stubborn young female director sets out on an investigation to unravel the mystery and discover the true Challat of Tunis...

The Blade of Tunis

2014

Sheikh's Watermelons poster
7.0

In exchange for a few watermelons he loves so much, an Imam organises emergency funerals. His ex-jihadist assistant suspects a conspiracy... A cutting and witty story.

Sheikh's Watermelons

2018

Sheikh's Watermelons poster
7.0

In exchange for a few watermelons he loves so much, an Imam organises emergency funerals. His ex-jihadist assistant suspects a conspiracy... A cutting and witty story.

Sheikh's Watermelons

2018

Wooden Hand poster
NR

Amira, 5 years old, doesn’t like school. In order to avoid going there she finds an unstoppable idea that goes beyond her expectations…

Wooden Hand

2013

Wooden Hand poster
NR

Amira, 5 years old, doesn’t like school. In order to avoid going there she finds an unstoppable idea that goes beyond her expectations…

Wooden Hand

2013

Imams go to School poster
5.0

Apprentice imams at the Paris Great Mosque, from now on, are also required to train in secularism in conformity to the policy of modernization of Islam in France. Yet, among all the universities, only one volunteered to give this training: the Catholic Institute of Paris. This film gives an account of this apprenticeship

Imams go to School

2010

Imams go to School poster
5.0

Apprentice imams at the Paris Great Mosque, from now on, are also required to train in secularism in conformity to the policy of modernization of Islam in France. Yet, among all the universities, only one volunteered to give this training: the Catholic Institute of Paris. This film gives an account of this apprenticeship

Imams go to School

2010

Breach poster
NR

Fadwa, a rebellious girl, runs away from the parental home to hide in a funny disused factory. Her father ends up finding her and wants to take her home. But once face to face, the father and his daughter realize that nothing is going right.

Breach

2005

Breach poster
NR

Fadwa, a rebellious girl, runs away from the parental home to hide in a funny disused factory. Her father ends up finding her and wants to take her home. But once face to face, the father and his daughter realize that nothing is going right.

Breach

2005

No artwork available
NR

7 year-old Mondher lives in a rural village in the south of Tunisia, his sister Mariem is going to get married with Touhami's son and do it.

Me, My Sister and the Thing

2006

No artwork available
NR

7 year-old Mondher lives in a rural village in the south of Tunisia, his sister Mariem is going to get married with Touhami's son and do it.

Me, My Sister and the Thing

2006

No artwork available
NR

Bouchra, raised in a mausoleum dedicated to the saint Sidi Sardi, is confronted by a hostile imam who wants to turn her family home into a mosque. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Ahmed, a cameraman willing to help her make a film about the saint. This project plunges her into a captivating investigation, a saga through Tunisia and the 20th Century, that will shake her deeply-rooted beliefs. An initiation to love, myths and cinema.

Mimesis

—

No artwork available
NR

Bouchra, raised in a mausoleum dedicated to the saint Sidi Sardi, is confronted by a hostile imam who wants to turn her family home into a mosque. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Ahmed, a cameraman willing to help her make a film about the saint. This project plunges her into a captivating investigation, a saga through Tunisia and the 20th Century, that will shake her deeply-rooted beliefs. An initiation to love, myths and cinema.

Mimesis

—

Zaineb Hates the Snow poster
6.8

When her mother remarries and her newly blended family moves to Canada, a 9-year-old Tunisia girl's life takes a profound turn as she struggles to find her place and maintain her Muslim identity in a new land.

Zaineb Hates the Snow

2016

Zaineb Hates the Snow poster
6.8

When her mother remarries and her newly blended family moves to Canada, a 9-year-old Tunisia girl's life takes a profound turn as she struggles to find her place and maintain her Muslim identity in a new land.

Zaineb Hates the Snow

2016