BACKSTAGE
Genre
Drama
Running time
102 minutes
Year
2023
Language
Arabic
Subtitle
English
Country
Morocco, Tunisia, Belgium, France, Qatar, Norway and Saudi Arabia
Director
Afef Ben Mahmoud, Khalil Benkirane
Bio
Producer
Khalil Benkirane, Afef Ben Mahmoud
Cast
Afef Ben Mahmoud, Sondos Belhassen, Saleh Bakri, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Sofiane Ouissi, Hajiba Fahmy, Ali Thabet, Abdallah Badis, Salima Abdelwahab, Nassim Baddag
Scriptwriter
Afef Ben Mahmoud
On stage, a vibrantly physical performance by a contemporary dance troupe; behind the scenes, all the underlying tensions and dynamics of a creative group who live, work, love and play together. Codirector and dancer Afef Ben Mahmoud plays Aida, a star dancer whose partner Hedi (renowned Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui) injures her – maybe by accident, maybe on purpose – on stage in a small Middle Atlas town. The whole company must make its way through a forest to the nearest medical help. In the dark forest, surrounded by the sounds of wild animals, the journey becomes a riveting dance in itself as the camera leaps among the players. A wholly original film, clearly based on authentic experience and thrilling to watch.
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