Deserts
Fall Grants 2022 - Post-Production Stage
Faouzi Bensaïdi / Feature Narrative / Morocco, France, Germany, Belgium, Qatar / 120 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Comedy, Drama, Social Issues, Satire
Synopsis
Longtime friends, Mehdi and Hamid, work for a collection agency. They crisscross the villages of southern Morocco in their old car and share double rooms in shabby hotels. They are exactly the same size, and wear identical suits and ties, as well as the same shoes. Paid next to nothing for their work, the pair play hard to make ends meet. One day, in a gas station planted in the middle of the desert, a motorcycle parks in front of them. A man is handcuffed to the luggage rack—it’s the Evader. Their meeting marks the beginning of an unforeseen and mystical journey…
Credits
- Director
- Faouzi Bensaïdi
- Screenwriter
- Faouzi Bensaïdi
- Producer
- Saïd Hamich Benlarbi, Nicole Gerhards, Sébastien Delloye
- Production Company
- Barney Production
About the Director
After working in the theatre as a stage director and actor, Faouzi Bensaïdi directed in 1997 his first short film, 'La Falaise' which received 24 awards at international festivals. In 2000, he directed two short films: 'Le Mur', awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, and 'Trajets' awarded at the Venice Film Festival. In 2003, his first feature, 'Mille Mois', was doubly awarded at Un Certain Regard in Cannes. In 2006, his second film, 'WWW - What a Wonderful World' was selected at Venice Days and was distributed in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Denmark, and the USA. 'Death for Sale', his third feature film, was selected and awarded at the 62nd Berlinale. His latest film 'Volubilis' was selected at Venice Days in 2017.