I’ll Go to Hell

Country: Tunisia

Runtime:80 Min

Synopsis 

Doctors have made it very clear. Najet will die soon.  No time to waste. Instead of giving in to self-pity, Najet, a beautiful franco-tunisian woman of forty, decides to take life head on, drinking, laughing, singing and especially organizing her big departure. For her, it is out of question to be buried in a white shroud and end up eaten by worms. Neither her husband Omar, nor her very pious Muslim family will be allowed to oppose her last wishes: to die in her sea House in Tunis facing the Mediterranean. Her ultramarine blue coffin, perfumed by Chanel fragrance will lead her, such a mermaid, in the depths of the sea. Leaving a husband devastated with grief, Najet leaves Paris and flies to Tunisia, destination her sea house, temple of beautiful reunions with her happy friends and legendary  parties. On her arrival Najet does not reveal her sentence to the troop. It’s the tearful arrival of her mother that sets her ears off. The news of Najet’s near death darkens the mood of the friends. Najet has a horror of funeral atmospheres, She states her last wishes.The reactions are strong and diverse, some see it only as  danger and illegal, others as sheer madness. Najet rushes them to the wall, it must be said that death does not wait. They must help her or leave.But it must be said that living in a community is not easy, especially when you’ve passed your forties and life has taken a toll on you. In these cases, Najet arbitrates, reconciles, reassures because even if they are from various backgrounds, she unconditionally loves these broken arms that inhabit her house. But Najet also has to deal with his family who come in. Her mother and sister threaten her that she will end up in Hell, but Najet is adamant. No one will dictate his law to her. Najet is tired. sadness and fear win her over. Her friends unite to give her a nice surprise in which her husband Omar participates. Najet is so happy to find her garden filled with her favorite flowers. They are all on their thirty-one. Najet couldn’t have dreamed of a nicer funeral rehearsal party. The rehearsal gets underway, Najet satisfied and serene in her coffin following the festivities, when her mother and sister arrive intrusively accompanied by the imam. When her mother leans over the coffin to ask her what’s going on…., Najet has already gone to Hell.

Director / Producer: Ismahane Lahmar

Franco-Tunisian director and screenwriter. Newly producer. Born October 25, 1982 in Paris, trained at the Superior School

of Audiovisual Production (ESRA) from Paris, and obtained her master’s degree in audiovisual production in New York. Ismahane has made short films which have been seen at several international film festivals. In 2017 she directed a Tunisian comedy for ICFLIX, “WOH”. In 2019 ismahane opens her production company, Madame Prod in which she develops and supports women’s projects.

She founded “Le cinema Au feminin”, a unique training program that combines cinema and personal development. It is a program that trains women from disadvantaged backgrounds in the film industry on the preparation, shooting and post-production of a film.