Doha Film Institute
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A shoe factory is relocated from France to Tunisia. The fates of Marcel, who becomes unemployed at 50, and Foued, a young Tunisian womaniser, are turned upside down.
Marcel, a worker in a French shoe factory, lives a simple life between family, fishing and the local betting bar. When the factory unexpectedly relocates to Tunisia. Marcel finds himself unemployed and in search of a new future. Meanwhile, in Tunis, Foued starts working at the shoe factory to help out his ailing mother and woo the girl he fancies. The two men’s paths cross when it is least expected.

Credits

Director
Walid Mattar
Screenwriter
Walid Mattar
Producer
Saïd Hamish
Co-Producer
Helicotron SPRL
Production Company
Barney Production

About the Director

Walid Mattar
Walid Mattar was born in Tunisia. He directed his first film, 'Le Cuirassée Abdelkarim', in 2003. In 2006, he co-directed (with Leyla Bouzid) the short film 'Sbeh El Khir' as part of '10 Courts, 10 Regards', a project created by young Tunisian directors that was presented at the Festival de Cannes. In 2010, he directed 'Condemnations…', which was presented at more than 30 international film festiv

Producers

Saïd Hamich Benlarbi

Saïd Hamich Benlarbi is a French-Moroccan screenwriter, director and producer, a graduate of La Fémis and a Lagardère Foundation laureate. He has collaborated with filmmakers such as Leyla Bouzid, Rachel Lang, Philippe Faucon, Nabil Ayouch, Meriem Ben'Mbarek, Clément Cogitore and Faouzi Bensaïdi. In 2018, he directed his first film, 'Return to Bollene', nominated for the Prix Louis-Delluc for 1st film. In 2021, his short film 'The Departure' was selected for approximately 100 international festivals, such as Namur, Rotterdam, Palm Springs, Go Short, Cleveland, Rhode Island, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, and Aubagne. The film won twenty-seven awards and was nominated for a César in 2022. 'Across the Sea' is his second feature film.

Contacts