Ghodwa 2021, directed by Tunisian actor and director Dhafer L'Abidine, offers an interesting exploration of Tunisia's post-revolution era through the individualistic accounts of the main character, Habib. The film delves into themes of political legacy, societal healing, and familial bonds, making it a compelling lens to understand the broader struggles of Tunisia, 10 years after the 2011 revolution.

The film starts out dramatically, with Habib running away from men chasing him, losing them, and finding himself home. Habib is a lawyer, divorced father, and former activist, advocating for justice and equity for all who have suffered under the Ben Ali regime. This all makes sense, yet somehow, we peer into realizing that something is not right with Habib; his son is concerned for his health and regularly checks on his father, urging him to not leave the house, and finally subtle clues that eventually bloom. All of this information points to Habib’s past, where he was captured by the regime and tortured, leaving him with PTSD and Schizophrenia. The onset of these psychotic episodes is not uncommon for people that have endured torture and war (Rathke et al., 2020). He also has delusions of a woman that is romantically interested in him, a probable dissociation following his divorce, exacerbated by his psychotic breaks (van Os et al., 2010).

If we zoom out, we see that Habib’s internal struggles with injustice and the aftermath of his own injustice is widespread in Tunisia. The film mentions that thousands have not seen justice, and following the Ben Ali Regime’s fall, very little was done to prosecute the ones in charge of perpetuating a broken and evil system (Dursun, 2021). Habib’s struggle is not just his, but the populace of Tunisia, struggling with poverty and a classist system. 

So why are these two themes important? It is not an exaggeration to say that the visibility of mental health issues have been on the rise, with the importance to discuss them and normalize them so that individuals with PTSD and Schizophrenia are not alienated by society. Moreover, the focus on a post-revolutionary Tunisia resonates very well within Tunisia’s border and even beyond it. The narrative speaks to universal truths about intergenerational connections and values, emphasizing how personal relationships mirror societal healing. Only through Habib’s interactions with his son and closure with meeting a powerful prosecutor (that ultimately rejected his proposals and got him jailed) did we see Habib at peace. The title, Ghodwa, reflects not only the hope for tomorrow but the complex journey of reaching it.

Another understated idea was the influence on different generations. Habib's mental health condition also impacts his son Ahmed, highlighting the intergenerational effects of trauma. Children of trauma survivors often bear indirect psychological burdens, experiencing anxiety and caregiver stress (Yehuda et al., 2018). This concept is powerfully depicted in Ahmed's position as a youthful caretaker, showing the overall societal impact of unaddressed trauma.

All in all, through the touching narrative of Habib, Ghodwa not only highlights the mental health issues in post-revolutionary societies but also emphasizes the importance of psychological help and reconciliation. The movie emphasizes the need to confront past wrongs in order to promote healing for both individuals and society.

References:

Dursun, H. R. (2021). Bin Ali authoritarianism and international factors in Tunisia (1987-2008). Journal of Humanity and Society (Insan & Toplum), 11(3), 85–111. https://doi.org/10.12658/m0628 

Rathke, H., Poulsen, S., Carlsson, J., & Palic, S. (2020). PTSD with secondary psychotic features among trauma-affected refugees: The role of torture and Depression. Psychiatry Research, 287, 112898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112898 

van Os, J., Kenis, G., & Rutten, B. P. (2010). The environment and schizophrenia. Nature, 468(7321), 203–212. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09563 

Yehuda, R., & Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: Putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 243–257. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20568