Meryem Benm’Barek-Aloïsis: Sofia (Afrika Film Festival Köln 2019)

Meryem Benm’Barek-Aloïsis

Sofia

Afrika Film Festival Köln 2019 

Meryem Benm’Barek-Aloïsis (Morocco)

Sofia, 2018, 86 min,

http://afrikafilmfestivalkoeln.de/programm-2019/sofia/ 

DESCRIPTION

[English]

Sofia lives with her parents in a modest apartment in Casablanca. While having lunch with her family one day, she is suddenly stricken with violent abdominal pain. Her cousin Kenza, a medical student, is feeling her belly when water starts running down her thighs: Sofia is about to give birth. On the pretext of Sofia having overeaten, the two women head to the hospital. Reluctant at first, the personnel eventually agree to take Sofia in, on the condition that she provide her marriage certificate before the next morning; otherwise they will alert the authorities. After Sofia gives birth, she and Kenza immediately leave the hospital in search of the child's father, launching themselves into a frantic nocturnal quest.

[Français]

Sofia vit avec ses parents dans un modeste appartement de Casablanca. Alors qu'elle mange avec sa famille, elle est prise d'une violente douleur abdominale. Son cousine Kenza, étudiante en médecine est liquéfiée : Sofia est sur le point d'accoucher. Prétextant que Sofia a trop mangé, les deux femmes foncent à l'hôpital. D'abord dubitatif, le personnel accepte de faire d'hospitaliser Sofia sous réserve qu'elle fournisse son certificat de mariage avant le lendemain matin ; à défaut ils devront alerter les autorités. Après l'accouchement de Sofia, elle et Kenza quittent immédiatement l'hôpital à la recherche du père de l'enfant, se lançant dans une quête nocturne désespérée.

BIO: MERYEM BENM'BAREK-ALOÏSIS

English

Born in Rabat in Morocco, Meryem Benm'Barek studied Arabic Languages and Civilisations at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations in Paris before studying film directing at INSAS in Brussels in 2010; during which she directed five short films, notably Nor in 2013 and Jennah in 2014. Jennah was selected at numerous international film festivals, and was considered for submission for an Academy Award in 2015.

She also created the sound design artwork "How Does it Sound", which has been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Sao Paulo Biennale.

Sofia (2018), her first feature film, garnered the Gan Fondation prize and received a grant from the Doha Film Institute.

Français

Née à Rabat au Maroc, Meryem Benm'Barek a étudié l'arabe à l'Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) à Paris avant de rejoindre en 2010 l'INSAS à Bruxelles pour y étudier la réalisation. Elle y a réalisé cinq courts métrages, notamment Nor en 2013 et Jennah en 2014. Ce dernier a été en sélection pour les Oscars 2015 et dans de nombreux festivals internationaux ; c'est son film de fin d'études à l'Institut national supérieur des arts du spectacle (INSAS, Belgique), il a remporté le Grand prix du meilleur court-métrage au festival de Rhode Island (Etats-Unis).

Elle a aussi réalisé une création sonore, "How does it sound", exposée au Victoria & Albert Museum à Londres et à la Biennale de Sao Paulo.

SOFIA (2018) est son premier long métrage, pour lequel elle a notamment été lauréate de la Fondation Gan et du Doha Film Institute. (Source: http://www.africine.org/?menu=fiche&no=27375)

IMAGE: imarabe.org

Cannes 2018 : Sofia by/de Meryem Benm'Barek. Analysis /analyse : Falila Gbadamassi (Africiné)

Cannes 2018: Sofia by/de Meryem Benm'Barek. Analysis / analyse: Falila Gbadamassi (Africiné)

Translated from French by Beti Ellerson and published on the African Women in Cinema Blog in collaboration with Africine.org. Falila Gbadamassi is a writer at Africiné Magazine. (Images: Cannes).

En français (ci-après) : http://www.africine.org/?menu=art&no=14452

Sofia, the first feature film by Franco-Moroccan Meryem Benm'Barek screened on 16 May 2018 at Un Certain Regard, is a social drama set in a society holding on to backward beliefs. The young filmmaker delivers a polished work presenting a superb portrait of a woman, brilliantly performed by Maha Alemi.

Sofia (Maha Alemi) is a clever 20-year-old who discovers that she is pregnant and is about to give birth. In Morocco, to have a child outside of marriage is a crime. Hence, assisted by her cousin Lena (Sarah Pearls), the young woman has a few hours to find the father of her child, a certain Omar (Hamza Khafif).

Sofia is clearly not very expressive. In addition, she is almost scolded for not being more expansive when she drags her entire family into this "experiment", considered particularly humiliating in Moroccan society.

Especially when her cousin Lena, who comes to her rescue from the very start of the drama, asks her to light her lantern. Though Sofia has problems, it does not automatically elicit empathy. And one of Meryem Benm'Barek's remarkable magic tricks is to make her, scene by scene, a woman who ends up commanding respect and admiration.

Sofia’s main charcter is a heroine in a world of women, as her mother, aunt and cousin are the main protagonists. On the other hand, the men (Sofia's father and the father of her child), contrary to appearances, are accessories, even if they can also cause irreparable harm.

Sofia's stoicism is the most visible facet of her heroism. Her denial that she is pregnant, the rejection and anger of her parents, her new motherhood, all are hardships that she seems to traverse with indifference. Her face, filmed in close-up, is almost always impassive. But when she does smiles, it is to show, and perhaps especially to affirm, that despite the circumstances, she remains in control of her destiny. Particularly in a society that oppresses women and leaves them, as a result, little or no room for maneuver. A lesson in feminism, without fanfare.

Meryem Benm'Barek created a scenario of exceptional finesse and intelligence. And she was able as well, to transform it into images with the same qualities. Maha Alemi, who carries the film, is also a wonderful discovery. This perfectly-mastered first work, is again, proof of the vitality of Moroccan cinema.

Un roseau nommé Sofia. Un film de Meryem Benm'Barek. Analysis\analyse: Falila Gbadamassi (Africiné). Falila Gbadamassi est rédactrice à Africiné Magazine

Sofia, le premier long métrage de la Franco-Marocaine Meryem Benm'Barek projeté le 16 mai 2018 à Un Certain Regard, est un drame social dont le décor est une société aux principes encore rétrogrades. La jeune cinéaste livre une œuvre épurée au service d'un somptueux portrait de femme, interprété avec brio par Maha Alemi.

Sofia (Maha Alemi) est une sage jeune fille de 20 ans qui découvre, par hasard, qu'elle est enceinte et surtout qu'elle est sur le point d'accoucher. Au Maroc, mettre au monde un enfant en dehors des liens du mariage est un crime. Aidée par sa cousine Lena (Sarah Perles), la jeune femme a quelques heures pour retrouver le père de son enfant, un certain Omar (Hamza Khafif). Lire l'intégralité de l'article @ http://africine.org/?menu=art&no=14452

Sofia by/de Meryem Benm'Barek : Cannes 2018 - Un Certain Regard (Morocco)

Sofia by/de Meryem Benm'Barek

Cannes 2018 - Un Certain Regard

(Morocco)

http://www.festival-cannes.com/fr/infos-communiques/communique/articles/la-selection-officielle-2018

Selection officielle | Official selection

Un certain regard

Text source: http://www.africine.org/?menu=film&no=19205

Image: dohafilminstitute.com

Director | Réalisatrice : Meryem Benm'Barek

Producer | Producteur : Olivier Delbosc

Production: Curiosa Films with/avec le soutien/support from/de Doha Film Institute (DFI) Qatar

Maroc | France | Qatar

Synopsis

[English]

Sofia lives with her parents in a modest apartment in Casablanca. While having lunch with her family one day, she is suddenly stricken with violent abdominal pain. Her cousin Kenza, a medical student, is feeling her belly when water starts running down her thighs: Sofia is about to give birth. On the pretext of Sofia having overeaten, the two women head to the hospital. Reluctant at first, the personnel eventually agree to take Sofia in, on the condition that she provide her marriage certificate before the next morning; otherwise they will alert the authorities. After Sofia gives birth, she and Kenza immediately leave the hospital in search of the child's father, launching themselves into a frantic nocturnal quest.

[Français]

Sofia vit avec ses parents dans un modeste appartement de Casablanca. Alors qu'elle mange avec sa famille, elle est prise d'une violente douleur abdominale. Son cousine Kenza, étudiante en médecine est liquéfiée : Sofia est sur le point d'accoucher. Prétextant que Sofia a trop mangé, les deux femmes foncent à l'hôpital. D'abord dubitatif, le personnel accepte de faire d'hospitaliser Sofia sous réserve qu'elle fournisse son certificat de mariage avant le lendemain matin ; à défaut ils devront alerter les autorités. Après l'accouchement de Sofia, elle et Kenza quittent immédiatement l'hôpital à la recherche du père de l'enfant, se lançant dans une quête nocturne désespérée.