Raïs Labhar. Ô! Capitaine des Mers

Documentary, Tunisia 2002, colour, 44 min, English subtitles

The Matanza is a bloody massacre: in their tiny boats, the fishermen of Sidi Doud set out to hunt for tuna fish in the traditionial way. They encircle the fish and raise the net in the boats surrounding them. The fish, thrashing about in a frenzied mass, are gored and thrown on board with hooks. The sea, now blood red, becomes the scene of a collective trance. Earning their living in this way makes the men executioners and victims at the same time.