Across Continents: Kenz Benmosbah’s Journey Signals a New Era of Independent Filmmaking

At just 25, Tunisian-French filmmaker Kenz Benmosbah has carved out a career that spans three continents, multiple cultures, and some of cinema’s most prestigious stages.

Her path began at the Manarat Film Festival in Tunis, where she trained under renowned producing partners Dora Bouchoucha (an Academy member) and Lina Chaabane. Their mentorship introduced her to the Mediterranean filmmaking community and anchored her early development as a cross-border storyteller.
Soon after, she joined the team behind Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the 2019 Cannes Film Festival Best Screenplay winner and one of the most celebrated French films of the past decade. Managing the film’s international press campaign immersed her in European cinema at its highest level, connecting her with producer Nadim

Cheikhrouha and director Kaouther Ben Hania.

Benmosbah’s work with Cheikhrouha and Ben Hania led to her contributions on Four Daughters (Les Filles d’Olfa), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature in 2024 — only the second Oscar nomination in Tunisia’s history.

Crossing the Atlantic, Kenz was accepted into the American Film Institute Conservatory, one of the world’s most prestigious and competitive graduate programs for filmmakers (acceptance rate ~1%).

At AFI, she co-produced and directed Dead Girl, which screened internationally, including at the 29th LASIFF, one of the largest Academy Award–qualifying showcases in the U.S..
Benmosbah’s debut feature, I Think She Hates Me, is now in active development following the completion of a proof-of-concept short produced with a multinational AFI team.

Told across dual timelines, the romantic comedy explores the chaos of first heartbreak through a balance of comedy, emotional honesty, and global sensibility. Already attracting interest from producers in Los Angeles and Paris, the film positions Benmosbah as a director who blends personal storytelling with commercial potential.

From Tunisian festival grounds to the Cannes red carpet, from Oscar-nominated collaborations to AFI’s selective training, Benmosbah stands at the forefront of a generation reshaping independent cinema. Her career reflects a new reality: films conceived across borders, developed by international networks, and designed to resonate with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.