Watch As I Open My Eyes

As I Open My Eyes is a 2015 Tunisian-French drama film directed by Leyla Bouzid. The movie revolves around the life of Farah (Baya Medhaffar), a 19-year-old Tunisian girl who dreams of becoming a singer. The film follows her journey as she navigates her way through the political and social turmoil of Tunisia during the Arab Spring of 2010-2011.

Farah's parents are supportive of her passion for music, but they worry about her safety in the unstable political climate. Farah's father is a surgeon and her mother is a literature professor, both of whom are well-educated and affluent. Farah has a close group of friends who are also into music, and they frequently perform together at underground venues.

The story unfolds in a flashback format, as we see Farah in the present day, waking up in a hospital with a bandaged hand. It is revealed that she has been arrested and beaten by the police for performing a politically charged song at a concert. Through her conversations with her mother, we learn about Farah's struggles to balance her artistic pursuits with the expectations of her family and the societal norms of a conservative Muslim country. Farah's mother, Hayet (Ghalia Benali), is an intellectual who empathizes with her daughter's desire to express herself through music but also understands the danger and limitations of doing so in a repressive society.

The film does an excellent job of portraying the tensions and contradictions of life in Tunisia before and after the revolution. Farah and her friends are optimistic and hopeful for change, but they are also cognizant of the risks associated with speaking out against the government. The film shows how the Arab Spring protests were fueled by a diverse group of young people with aspirations for greater freedom and democracy. Farah, as a young artist, embodies this spirit of resistance and defiance through her music.

The movie is visually stunning, with vibrant colors and imagery that capture the optimism and energy of the youth movement. The music, composed by Khyam Allami and performed by Baya Medhaffar, is a great mix of traditional Tunisian melodies and modern Western influences. The songs, which deal with themes of love, politics, and social justice, reflect the mood and aspirations of the times.

Along with Farah's story, the film also addresses issues of gender and class, as well as the impact of political instability on ordinary people. The movie highlights the role of women in the Arab Spring movement and the challenges they face in a patriarchal society. Farah's mother, for example, is shown balancing her academic pursuits with her role as a wife and mother, and grappling with the lack of opportunities available to women in her generation.

As I Open My Eyes is a poignant and powerful film that offers insight into the dreams and struggles of young Tunisians during a time of great change. The movie is a testament to the enduring power of art to inspire and transform, even in the darkest of times.

As I Open My Eyes is a 2016 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 74.