Once Upon Our Time (Un Conte de Faits)
Arab Film Competition
Hichem Ben Ammar / Feature Documentary / Tunisia / 2010 / 85 min / Color / DigiBeta
In French, Arabic, English / English subtitles
Interests: Documentary, Music, Coming of Age
Qatar Premiere
Synopsis
Unfolding like a storybook tale, this documentary traces two years in the life of 15-year-old Tunisian violin prodigy Anas Romdhani. His father pushes him, while constantly working to find opportunities for Annas to develop. "I don't want him to waste his time like me," says his dad, who plays trombone in a local orchestra but whose own father belittled his earlier musical ambitions. Mentored by renowned violinists, Anas eventually enrolls at a prestigious London music academy, becomes an international sensation and tours the world. Hichem Ben Ammar, a Tunisian film director known for his previous documentary "Captain of the Seas!," filmed his new feature in several major cities, including Paris, London and Brussels, tracking the young virtuoso's auditions and competitions in the most prestigious halls of classical music. This story about talent's inevitable rise and a father's dreams for his son is a touching true-life adventure that must be seen and, of course, heard.
About the Directors
Hichem Ben Ammar
Born in Tunisia in 1958, Ben Ammar studied fine arts and worked as a festival director and film critic before starting to produce and direct his own documentaries, including "And I Saw Stars". In 2002 he won the Best Documentary prize at the Festival de Carthage with "O! Capitaine des mers."
Credits
- Director
- Hichem Ben Ammar
- Screenwriter
- Hichem Ben Ammar
- Editor
- Ines Cherif
- Music
- Veronika Aubry, Claire Bourdet, Didier Hu, Nigel Hutchison, Andrei Ionita
- Cast