On the Crossbar

A winter night. A crucial game. Two countries compete for the only qualifying ticket for the FIFA World Cup. A man is driving his car through deserted streets. Two policemen on patrol are following the game on their car radio, until the transmission is interrupted.

In 2008, residents of Redeyef, a Tunisian city heavily reliant on phosphate production, rose against state corruption and the dire, unhealthy, and perilous conditions of their existence. This revolt marked the first significant protest movement against Ben Ali’s oppressive regime and its police state despite facing brutality and tyranny in response. While not a complete success, it ignited a spark of resistance among the Tunisian people, awakening them to the deteriorating levels of freedom. This uprising paved the way for the 2011 revolution and the Arab Spring.