Morocco's Faouzi Bensaidi and Narjiss Nejjar movies prized at Namur Film Festival
Morocco, Local, 10/6/2003

Moroccan movie makers, Faouzi Bensaidi and Narjiss Nejjar, were prized Friday at the Namur Francophone Film Festival for their "Mille Mois" and "Les Yeux Secs."

The festival, held September 26-October 08, screened Mille Mois(1,000 months) in its "un certain regard" category. The comedy-drama, Bensaidi's first long movie, is about Mehdi, an eight year-old boy growing up in a Moroccan village. He's the center of the tale and most things are seen from his perspective. His father, whom he has been told is "in France," is in prison for his participation in a labor strike. The tale takes place during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, the final days of which is very important, it's like "A Thousand Months."

Nejjar's movie is about an old woman comes out of prison after 25 years. Outside, she meets Fadh, a young bus driver who offers to take her back to her village. The old woman accepts but warns Fadh that she will say he is her son, for only women live in the village. When he gets there, Fadh discovers that the women of the village, living in total isolation, are personal prostitutes who wait for the shepherds to return once a year. The old woman finds her daughter in the village, whom she abandoned 25 years earlier. She decides to free the village of its curse.

Previous Stories:
  Third Marrakesh Film Festival kicks off friday   (10/4/2003)
  Le Journal Du Dimanche: Marrakesh film festival on the frontpage of french weekly's first moroccan issue   (9/30/2003)
  Marrakesh film festival eyes Cannes, Venice level   (9/17/2003)
  Emotion, creativity and rigor combine for Marrakesh film festival   (9/6/2003)
  Namur's francophone film festival: Morocco represented by Faouzi Bensaid's '1,000 months'   (8/12/2003)

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