Hichem Rostom (1947-2022) *75

was a Tunisian actor. He has appeared in more than 70 films and television shows since 1987. He starred in Golden Horseshoes, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1989 festival. He also directed the Carthage Theatre Festival for two sessions. Hichem Rostom was born in La Marsa, Tunisia, to a family of Circassian descent. In his youth, he studied at Sadiki College, Tunis, where he earned his Baccalaureate degree. He later moved to France to further his studies where he lived for years and graduated from Sorbonne University’s Institute of Theatre Studies and the Institute of Advanced Cinematographic Studies. He also worked as an animator at Radio France and then at the National Popular Theater before be returned to Tunisia in 1988 to pursue a professional career as an actor after being offered a role in the Tunisian drama film Golden Horseshoes (Tunisian Arabic: صفايح ذهب, French: Les Sabots en or) in 1989, which he accepted.

Rostom showed a keen interest in acting at a young age because of his maternal grandfather, who used to take him to the Theater frequently. His acting talent was discovered by the Tunisian actor Ali Ben Ayed.