L’mina
Spring Grants 2023 - Production Stage
Randa Maroufi / Short Experimental or Essay / France, Morocco, Italy, United Arab Emirates, Qatar / 20 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Documentary, Experimental, Fiction
Synopsis
The film is set in Jerada, a former mining town in northeast Morocco that experienced its golden age in the 1930s when coal powered most of the world’s industry. Over the decades, the town slowly declined as alternative sources of fuel increased in popularity, with the mine completely ceasing operations in 2001. Since the mine’s closing, the town has slipped into a deep recession, with social affliction and unrest sweeping the local population.
‘L’mina’ will be a hybrid film and create an archive of Jerada that spans various eras of its history. The film offers a portrait of this working-class town via a strong cinematic focus on Mise-en-scène in addition to concentrated periods of time spent with the townspeople and listening to their memories and stories of what it used to be. Significantly, I set out to make this work at a moment when much of the ”developed” world is shifting away from fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy. As the earth’s people grapple with the possibilities of impending climate catastrophe, many of the most vulnerable populations are also left scrambling to sustain a livelihood in the wake of seismic change.
Credits
- Director
- Randa Maroufi
- Screenwriter
- Randa Maroufi
- Producer
- Randa Maroufi, Oumayma Zekri, Ajarrai
- Executive Producer
- Creative producer: Leonardo Bigazzi
- Production Company
- Production: Shatamata Production (France), Co-production: Tifaw Films (Morocco), Fondazione In Between Art Film (Italy)
About the Director
Randa Maroufi established Shatamata, a production and distribution company with an artist's studio, in 2022. This venture primarily focuses on film projects seamlessly blending visual arts and cinema. At its core, Shatamata is deeply engaged with exploring socio-political themes, shedding light on both individual experiences and collective stories. Under Maroufi's leadership, the company embraces a philosophy of creative freedom, particularly in technical and aesthetic innovation. Shatamata is committed to nurturing new talent in the filmmaking industry. It provides vital support and resources to up-and-coming filmmakers, enabling them to bring their creative visions to life. Additionally, the company extends its collaborative spirit to seasoned filmmakers, offering them a conducive platform for producing groundbreaking and provocative works. Through these endeavours, Shatamata reflects Maroufi's artistic ethos and contributes significantly to contemporary cinema's evolving landscape.
Contacts
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Main Contact
Shatamata Production
- Company:
- Shatamata Production
- Email:
- shatamata.production@gmail.com