In Harka, Egyptian-American director Lotfy Nathan presents the reality of daily life in some Arab nations after the failure of what was known as the Arab Spring revolutions.
We first see Ali. He is a young Tunisian man who has to work with gasoline smugglers on the border with Libya. A bitter life. Smuggling is an illegal activity watched by the police, who only intervene when another bribe is needed.
Ali’s younger sister tells him that their father died after a long struggle with cancer. He is forced to return to his hometown to take care of his two only sisters. Ali faces many crises as he tries to provide for his small family. Adding to the misery, the bank demands that he pays off his father’s debts, or else the family’s modest home would be seized.
Drowning in worries and debts, Ali considers immigrating illegally to Europe. But he cannot find a way out. Besides, he must find an urgent solution. So, he returns to sell the smuggled gasoline. One day he falls prey to a police agent who demands unfair share of the profit. Ali refuses. The officer beats him and throws him in prison. Once out, completely overwhelmed by despair, he decides to go to a government building and set himself on fire. He burns in front of passers-by without anyone paying attention. 
The director says that the story of his film comes from a real incident ten years ago, when Mohammed Bouazizi – a poor Tunisian man – set himself on fire in the capital’s main street. Poverty, unemployment, and corruption pushed him to that desperate act. Many say that his self-sacrifice triggered the change of regime in Tunisia and, soon after, the popular demonstrations that took place in many parts of the Arab world.
The role of Ali was played by Tunisian actor Adam Bessa. He said to journalists after the screening at Cannes that “Despair and lack of hope must drive violence.”
Director Nathan agreed with him, adding “Harka reveals the tragedy of a society which is deprived of all rights”. The director also stated that his film honors the “Despair of a young generation who is banned from human life.”
Harka is the first feature film by Lotfy Nathan. It competed at the “Un Certain Regard” section in the 75th Cannes International Film Festival. Adam Bessa won an award for his performance.