Mofida Fdhila: “I Am Happy with the Success of Al-Matba‘a

Tell us about your experience as the executive producer of the series Al-Matba‘a.

For me, Al-Matba‘a is not just a drama series; it is an attempt to capture a delicate moment that Tunisian society is experiencing. In the series, the printing house is not merely a place where events unfold, but a metaphor for an entire world that once revolved around words, work, and knowledge, before it began to crack under the pressure of the economic and political transformations that the country has witnessed in recent years.

This space, which was once a factory of knowledge, turns in the series into a mirror that reveals the fragility of human beings when they lose the certainty they once relied on. Through the characters—especially the character of Najib—we approach a person in a moment of breaking, when he realizes too late that the life he lived was not what he imagined. It also reveals the exhaustion of the Tunisian individual, his struggle with reality, and his continuous attempt to preserve his dignity despite setbacks, as he suddenly finds himself facing profound questions about meaning, memory, and the choices he made in his life.

What matters to me in this work is that it does not offer ready-made moral judgments. Instead, it places the characters before their contradictions and leaves the viewer free to reflect on their destinies. The series can therefore be read on multiple levels: as a human story, as a mirror of a complex social reality, and as a metaphor for a country living in a constant struggle between memory and forgetting.

We wanted the series to feel close to people’s daily lives, while also carrying a distinctive artistic spirit in terms of image, rhythm, and vision. What always matters to me is that the viewer feels the work does not merely offer momentary entertainment, but leaves an intellectual and emotional impact that invites reflection after each episode.

Why were you enthusiastic about producing it?

I was enthusiastic about producing Al-Matba‘a because from the very first reading of the script I felt that the project carried a genuine artistic necessity. We live in a fast and turbulent time, and television drama often tends toward simple storytelling and rapid pacing. But this script was different; it tried to slow time down a little, to approach the human being in his contradictions and fragility, and to give viewers space for reflection rather than relying solely on suspense.

In Tunisia, we are experiencing deep social and economic transformations, and I believe drama can be a way to understand and question these changes. What attracted me to this project is its ability to transform everyday details into deeper human questions related to dignity, the meaning of work, and both individual and collective memory. The characters in Al-Matba‘a are not traditional heroes, but ordinary people facing difficult choices between morality and necessity—between what they once dreamed of and what reality imposed on them.

As a producer, I am always concerned with defending projects that have a clear vision and respect the intelligence of the viewer. I do not see production merely as completing a television project, but as a cultural responsibility—supporting works that try to reflect reality honestly and open real discussions about the society we live in.

What was your role as a producer in this work?

For me, production is not just a technical role related to financing or organization; it is also a creative and cultural role. The producer accompanies the project from the first moment of the idea and protects its vision until it reaches the screen.

In Al-Matba‘a, my role was to build the framework that allowed the project to maintain its artistic ambition. From the beginning, we worked on developing the script and selecting a creative team capable of understanding the spirit of the project. It was also important to create a delicate balance between the work’s aesthetic ambition and the production realities of television.

This project required great effort from the entire team—actors, technicians, and everyone involved in bringing it to life. The shooting conditions were sometimes difficult and exhausting, both because of the intense working rhythm and the production challenges that accompanied filming. What united us all was a deep belief in the project and in the story we wanted to tell. That belief was the force that pushed every member of the team to give their best so the script could become a sincere dramatic experience on screen.

In the end, the producer is the bridge between the idea and the image. Their responsibility is to ensure that the artistic vision is not lost amid production complexities.

As a director, why are you always keen to produce for Mehdi?

As a filmmaker, what interests me most in cinema is that subtle space where personal experience meets the major questions society faces. I try to approach characters in moments of fragility and transformation, and to work with the hidden signals that reveal what is often left unsaid in daily life.

In this context, working with director Mehdi Hmili felt natural to me. He is one of those filmmakers who possesses a genuine and distinctive cinematic voice. He does not see the image merely as aesthetic decoration, but as a way of thinking about the world and approaching the human condition in all its complexity. He has a remarkable ability to transform small details of everyday life into profound drama carrying strong emotional and human dimensions.

Our professional relationship is built on artistic dialogue and mutual trust. We share the same belief that cinema and drama can be spaces for reflection about humanity—a place for research, experimentation, and questioning, rather than simply fleeting entertainment.

That is why producing his work is, for me, part of building an artistic project we both believe in—one that seeks to create a different visual and narrative language within the dramatic landscape.

In your opinion, how can Tunisian drama reach the Arab world?

Tunisian drama has great creative potential in writing, directing, and acting. The real challenge today is not only the quality of the works, but also their ability to reach Arab audiences through more effective distribution systems.

Production alone is no longer enough. From the beginning, it is necessary to think about the work’s journey in the market—how it will be shown, where it will be distributed, and how it can reach platforms and audiences beyond national borders.

The strength of Tunisian drama lies in its cultural specificity and its ability to tell stories rooted in a rich local reality while addressing universal human questions. When strong writing meets precise direction and refined visual craftsmanship, the work can cross the boundaries of dialect and geography.

Developing production partnerships with other Arab countries and collaborating with regional distributors and platforms can open real opportunities for wider circulation.

What were the reactions to the series?

The reactions were very important to me because they showed that the work did not pass unnoticed. From the first episodes, the series sparked wide discussions among viewers—about the characters and the questions raised by the story.

Many people connected with the world of Al-Matba‘a because it feels close to their reality and reflects the transformations Tunisian society is experiencing today. What also caught my attention was that some viewers went beyond following the events and focused on the artistic and visual aspects of the series—the composition of the frame, the use of light, and the overall visual atmosphere.

These artistic readings were particularly meaningful to me because they reflect a sensitivity among viewers toward the visual language of the work and show that images can be interpreted and thought about just like the story itself.

Of course, there were also differing opinions, which is natural and healthy. When a work sparks debate and people talk about it—even disagree about it—it means that it has touched something real.

What are your upcoming projects as a producer and director?

I am currently working on several projects in both cinema and television, because each medium has its own language and possibilities. One of them is the film Bent Al-Reeh (Daughter of the Wind), which I am directing and also co-producing. It is a project very close to my heart.

The film follows the life of a teenage girl trying to find her place in a society shaped by rapid transformations and pressures. The protagonist is not a traditional heroic figure, but an ordinary girl carrying deep questions about identity and the choices people make during moments of change.

Alongside that, I continue working as a producer on several cinematic and television projects focusing on human stories rooted in our local reality, while seeking international production collaborations. I am also developing my work in film distribution, because I believe reaching audiences is an essential part of a film’s life.

Your collaboration with Tunisian National Television?

Collaborating with Tunisian National Television has been a very important experience for me. The channel remains a major cultural institution in Tunisia and plays a key role in bringing drama to a wide audience across the country and beyond.

In the case of Al-Matba‘a, this collaboration was based on a shared desire to present a drama that carries both artistic and human depth while remaining close to social reality. For me, true partnerships between creators and public institutions are essential, because drama is not only entertainment—it is also a mirror reflecting society and its transformations.

When artistic ambition meets institutional support, it becomes possible to create works that stay in the audience’s memory and contribute to the development of Tunisian drama within the Arab and international landscape.