Film Funding

All Projects

Dance the Night

Fall Grants 2024 - Production Stage

Mohamed Megdoul / Short Narrative / Algeria, France, Qatar / 20 min / Original Language: Berber, French / Interests: Fiction

Synopsis

Algeria, 1993. In a small village in Kabylia, shy six-year-old Ayoub reluctantly accompanies the women of his family to a village party. As they navigate the winding, rocky alleys plunged into unsettling darkness, the little “French immigrant” is teased by his cousins, his sister, and the old men they encounter along the way, all of whom sense his fear of the night. Joined by the Big Old Lady, who is missing the stool all women carry to village parties, Ayoub is given a task: to return home and fetch one for her. This marks the beginning of a strange and mystical journey where Ayoub must confront his vivid imagination to prove to the world—and to himself—that he is a big boy unafraid of the dark. On this journey, he discovers that the night is full of life, that monsters are only as strong as our fears, and that shooting stars make formidable steeds. Ultimately, Ayoub learns that to overcome his fears, he must embrace his desires, channel his imagination, and assert himself to the world.

Credits

Director
Mohamed Megdoul
Screenwriter
Mohamed Megdoul
Producer
Mohamed Megdoul, Nicolas Anthomé
Production Company
Imperatorem Productions, bathysphere productions

About the Director

Born in 1985, Mohamed Megdoul is a writer and film director. He studied photography and cinema at École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (Art Déco) in Paris. Mohamed directed ‘César’, a short film produced by Bathysphere and broadcast on Arte in 2020. He is currently working on his first feature film. In addition to directing, Mohamed has produced several short fiction and documentary films. He is also the founder and editor of Immersion magazine, an independent journal dedicated to analysis and reflection on video games. Since 2018, Mohamed has curated arts events, notably at Fondation Cartier and the Centre Pompidou. He also teaches cinema and interactive arts.

Questions regarding this project?

Contact

blog comments powered by Disqus