The film draws from actual reports of children in North Africa being kidnapped and harmed due to beliefs that they possess mystical qualities (like specific birthmarks) that can lead to hidden treasures.

Directed by Abdelhamid Bouchnak, Dachra is a landmark film: the first Tunisian horror movie in over 30 years. More than just a comeback, it’s a brutal, atmospheric dive into rural folk terror that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with European and Asian genre classics.

Unpopular opinion: International horror is currently beating Hollywood at its own game.

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The Wailing , A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night , Kill List , The Texas Chain Saw Massacre .

The term "dachra" refers to an isolated village or rural compound. In the film, this setting serves as a metaphor for the hidden, "forgotten" parts of society where law and logic are replaced by archaic rituals. Production and Reception Backstory

After gaining traction at international film festivals like Venice , it returned to Tunisia and became the country's biggest box office hit in over 25 years, often selling out theaters.

Bouchnak used the movie to explore the clash between modernity and ancient, dark superstitions that still persist in some rural areas.

If you think you’ve seen every type of horror movie, this one might change your mind. Dachra (2018) made history as the first-ever horror film submitted for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, and it’s easy to see why.

I finally got around to watching the Tunisian horror film Dachra and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It was actually the first horror film ever submitted by Tunisia for the Academy Awards.