A Montrealer in the Golden Bear Tournament

How do we feel when one of the four biggest film festivals in the world gives us such an honor? “To be honest, it's a bit surreal. I think I'll only believe it when I'm with the whole team,” the young filmmaker told me, contacted on Monday in Paris, where he was finishing up the mix of his film, which was co-produced by Canada, France and Tunisia.

Despite turning 32, Meriam Zuber is not at her first awards. His latest short film is chaotic and poetic BrotherhoodIt was a finalist at the Oscars in 2020. Presented at more than 150 festivals, it won 75 international awards, including Best Short Film at the Toronto International Film Festival, as well as being presented at the Gala Quebec Cinema.

where we come from Co-produced by Maria Gracia Turgeon and Annick Blanc of Montreal production company Midi La Nuit (behind the excellent short wild cat by Jeremy Comte), starring Salha Nasraoui, Mohamed Hossein Greia, Malek Mechergui, Adam Bessa, Dee Lyon, Ryan Mechergui, and Seker Mechergui.

Most of these actors are actors Brotherhood, tells the story of a young Tunisian returning to his family a year after going to Syria to fight with the Islamic State group. He returns to the delight of his mother and his younger brothers, but to the dismay of his father, a shepherd who struggles to digest the return of his prodigal son to a woman wearing a niqab.

Where we come fromwhose work title MotherhoodWhen the elder sons, who have gone to jihad, one of them returns to the village with his young wife, the mother takes an interest in the sight.

“I see the two films as yin and yang,” the writer-filmmaker explains to me. The two stories are intertwined. The context is the same, but the treatment, perspective, themes of the story are different. I felt like I was exploring new territory. »

Meriam Zuber spent her childhood in Tunisia but grew up in the United States, where she was born during her father's graduate studies. He came to Montreal in 2009 and studied at McGill to study cinema at Concordia University. Like many artists from abroad who studied at the university here, he decided to stay.

“My cameraman [Vincent Gonneville] Eight years ago to the day, I texted myself to remind myself that we were on a quest in northern Tunisia and we met the three brothers who starred in both films. To get inspired, to be creative, we went on a road trip that led to this unforgettable life experience. »

Where we come from This 75 is one of the two first films in the official competition^e The Berlinale opens on February 15 Little things like that Belgian Tim Millands wrote about the treatment of Irish women by the Catholic Church in the 1980s. The film, produced and starring Cillian Murphy – is expected to be nominated for an Oscar this Tuesday. Oppenheimer – is among the 20 films in the competition.

The jury, chaired by Mexican-Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, the first black person to occupy the position, was responsible for awarding the Golden Bear on February 25, which was then awarded to the documentary. On Adamant Frenchman Nicolas Philibert, in 2023.

Among the candidates, we find specifically Another conclusion Italian Piero MessinawaitWith Gael Garcia Bernal and Berenice Bejo, Black tea By the great Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Chisago Timbuktu, A traveler's needs South Korean Hong Sang-soo with Isabelle Huppert, DahomeyDocumentary by Franco-Senegalese Matti Diop (Atlantic), without time Frenchman Olivier Assayas (Emotional rules), an autobiographical story featuring Vincent McCain as the alter ego of a filmmaker, confined to his brother (journalist Micha Assayas) during the pandemic. A different person American Aaron Shimberg, who caused a stir at the Sundance Film Festival last week, as well Empire Frenchman Bruno Dumont (Humanity, France), with Camille Cotin and Fabrice Lucchini, was billed as a pastiche Star Wars…

“We are particularly proud of this year's selection, which strikes a great balance between writers we admire and respect and powerful new voices in the independent cinema landscape,” artistic director Carlo Satrian said Monday. Head of Berlin.

Satrian also released work from the Encounters affiliate on Monday, including the first feature film by French writer Christine Angot. A family, an autobiographical documentary around the theme of incest. Several films have already been announced in recent weeks, including Quebecer Philippe Lesage.Demons, Genesis), which provides Like fire In the generation category, dedicated to the younger audience. American master Martin Scorsese will also receive an honorary Golden Bear.

Will Meriam Jubiure win the first Quebec Golden Bear for a film? Coaching by Duddy Kravitz By Ted Godchef in 1974? Pres will answer the question.