All Projects

Until the Birds Return

Fall Grant 2015

Karim Moussaoui / Feature Narrative / Algeria, France, Germany, Qatar / 2017 / 110 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Drama

Synopsis

Mourad, a businessman, rose to success in Algeria in the 2000s. Now a new man, he wants to stay away from trouble. When he comes across a fight in which a man’s life is in danger, he decides not to step in or provide assistance. Aisha is done with the past. About to start a new life as a married woman, she starts on the journey toward her new family, accompanied by her father and Jalil, a neighbour. Dahman is a doctor. He too hopes to start over – he wants to marry his cousin, and patiently awaits the promotion that would confirm his social status. Each of these three characters will have to face up to the consequences of their choices.

Credits

Director

Karim Moussaoui

Screenwriter

Karim Moussaoui, Maud Ameline (Co-Author)

Producer

Jaber Debzi, David Thion, Nicole Gerhards

Production Company

Prolégomènes, Les Films Pelléas

Production Company

Prolégomènes

About the Director

Born in 1975, Karim Moussaoui is an active member of Chrysalis, one of Algeria’s most important independent film associations. Moussaoui has worked on a number of plays and films, among them ‘Paloma Delight’ with Nadir Mokneche. In 2006, he made his first two short films: ‘What We Must Do’, based on Charles Bukowsky’s short story ‘The Copulating Mermaid of Venice’; and ‘Breakfast’. In 2011, his feature film script ‘Till the Swallows Return’ was selected for the Méditalents writing workshop; there he met Virginie Legeay, with whom he co-wrote the screenplay for ‘Les Jours d’avant’. ‘Until the Birds Return’ was developed during the Cinéfondation’s Résidence du Festival de Cannes between October, 2014 and February, 2015.

Awards and Festival History

Festivals

Cannes Film Festival 2017, Un Certain Regard (WP)
Sarajevo Film Festival 2017, SFF Partner Presents

Awards

Wihr d’Or for the Best Film, Best Filmmaker (Karim Moussaoui) and Meilleur espoir, Oran Arab FF 2017
Press Award, Festival du film arabe de Fameck 2017
Best Editing Award, Carthage FF 2017
Best Debut Film, Cérémonie des Lumières 2018

Contacts

• Director

  Karim Moussaoui

  Phone: 

  +213773460281

  Email: 

  karimoussaoui@yahoo.fr

• Main Contact

  Jaber Debzi

  Company: 

  Les films de l'alambic

  Email: 

  jaber@lesfilmsdelalambic.ch

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