The Man Who Sold His Skin

The Man Who Sold His Skin is a 2020 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. Its plot was inspired by Belgian contemporary artist Wim Delvoye's living work Tim (2006), which was in turn inspired by Roald Dahl's 1952 short story "Skin". It was selected as the Tunisian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, making the shortlist of fifteen films. In March 2021, it was nominated for the Best International Feature Film. It premiered in the Horizons section at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where Yahya Mahayni won the Best Actor Award. Plot Raqqa fiancés Sam and Abeer are separated by the Syrian Civil War. While he seeks refuge in Lebanon, her family forces her to marry a richer man and move with him to Brussels. In the desperate pursuit of money and the needed paperwork to travel to Europe to rescue her, Sam accepts to have his back tattooed as a Schengen visa by one of the most controversial contemporary artists in the West. His own body turned into a living work of art and promptly exhibited in a museum, Sam will soon realize he has sold away more than just his skin. Cast Yahya Mahayni as Sam Ali Dea Liane as Abeer Koen De Bouw as Jeffrey Godefroi Monica Bellucci as Soraya Waldy Saad Lostan as Ziad Darina Al Joundi as Sam's mother Jan Dahdouh as Hazem Christian Vadim as William Wim Delvoye as insurance broker