The fiction feature film Les Enfants Rouges by Lotfi Achour was doubly awarded at the 39th edition of the International Francophone Film Festival (FIFF) in Namur, Belgium, the winners of which have just been revealed.
According to the festival newsletter, Les Enfants Rouges won the Bayard d’or for best film, the highest distinction of the FIFF, awarded to Lotfi Achour, as well as the Bayard for best cinematography, awarded to cinematographer Wojciech Staron.
The feature film Where we come from (Mé el Ain) by Meryam Joobeur obtained a special mention from the jury in the “First work” competition, a section which highlights eight first films.
Les Enfants Rouges (Red Path) was part of the official competition, which brought together 12 feature films from countries such as Belgium, Rwanda, Switzerland, France, Madagascar, Germany, Mauritius, Peru, South Africa, Luxembourg and Quebec.
The film was in the running for the various Bayard prizes, awarded by an international jury chaired by Swiss director and producer Frédéric Baillif.
This 100-minute drama, co-produced by Tunisia, France and Belgium, is directed by Lotfi Achour from a screenplay co-written with Natacha de Pontcharra, Doria Achour and Sylvain Cattenoy.
Inspired by true events and anchored in an unforgiving social context, Les Enfants Rouges is a dreamlike dive into the wounded psyche of a child and his ability to overcome trauma.
As for Who Do I Belong To, it is a 120-minute drama written and directed by the Tunisian living in Canada, Meryam Joobeur. This first feature film is a co-production between Tunisia (Tanit Films), Canada, France and Qatar.
The film will have its world premiere during the 74th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, “The Berlinale”, which will be held from February 15 to 25, 2024, in Germany.
The casting brings together Salha Nasraoui, Mohamed Hassine Grayaa, Malek Mechergui, Adam Bessa and Dea Liane.
Meryam Joobeur is also the author of three short films: Gods, Weeds and Revolutions (2012), Born in the Maelstrom (2017) and Brotherhood (2018). The latter was nominated for the 2020 Oscars and won 75 international awards.
The “First Work” competition, where the Tunisian-Canadian was awarded the prize, highlighted female creativity this year, with six directors among the eight films in the running, from countries such as France, Romania, Serbia, Belgium and Morocco.
The Cantillon jury was made up of five young film students representing the diversity of the French-speaking world.
The Namur International Francophone Film Festival is an annual cinema event. Held from September 27 to October 4, 2024, this edition presented more than 120 short and feature films, highlighting the diversity and richness of French-speaking cinema.
