The Institut français and its partners, France Médias Monde and the Organisation Internationale de La Francophonie (OIF), are pleased to announce the nomination of Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha as patron of the 2023 La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut français, and to present the ten selected films.
© Mustapha Azab
Film producer since 1994, Dora Bouchoucha is a major figure of cinema both in Tunisia and internationally, renowned for her support of arthouse cinema and for her role in the promotion of Arab and African film.
The founder of Nomadis Images, a production company that supports emerging filmmakers from North Africa and the Middle East, Dora Bouchoucha has produced numerous Tunisian and international feature films, short films and documentaries including the series of African short films Africa Dreaming, Sabria by Abderrahmane Sissako, Baraket by Jamila Sahraoui, Red Satin, Buried Secrets, Tunisian Spring and Foreign Body by Raja Amari, Inhebbek Hedi (Best First Feature Award and the Silver Bear for Best Actor – Berlinale 2016), Weldi and Les Ordinaires by Mohamed Ben Attia, and Ghodwa by Dhafer L’Abidine. All her films have been selected at Venice, Cannes and Berlin.
Known for her commitment to the development of cinema in Tunisia and Africa, in 1992 Dora Bouchoucha founded the Atelier des Projets, and later Takmil in 2014 during the Carthage Film Festival (JCC), one of the largest film festival in Africa and the Middle East over which she presided in 2008, 2010 and 2014.
Since 1997 she has directed the Résidence Sud Écriture (Southern Writing Residency) which she founded and she has led the teaching committee for several training programmes for Arab and African producers and screenwriters including Med Film Development (MFD) and Med Film Factory (MFF), financed by Euromed Audiovisuel, and mentor for the Doha Film Lab, Ouaga film lab and BCP Beirut. In 2010, she presided over the Fonds Sud and in 2012, the Aide aux cinémas du monde fund (CNC-Institut français).
The El Gouna and Luxor Film Festivals in Egypt, the Salé Festival in Morocco and MedFilm in Rome, as well as the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, have paid homage to her career and her support of film and youth in the region. In 2023, the Republic of Burkina Faso decorated her with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres during the FESPACO. The name of Dora Bouchoucha is today a reference in terms of cinema production.
The fifteenth session of La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut français will be held at the Festival de Cannes from 16 to 27 May. The ten selected projects are:
- NIGERIA – Galatians by Michael Omonua, produced by Abba T. Makama (Polka Dot Films) / 2nd feature film
- SENEGAL – Fagadaga by Yoro Mbaye, produced by Souleymane Kebe (Astou Productions) / 1st feature film
- TUNISIA – Leïla’s Trial by Charlie Kouka, produced by Cyrine Sellami (Nomadis Images) / 1st feature film
- LEBANON – Pigeon Wars by Dania Bdeir, produced by Pierre Sarraf (Né à Beyrouth Films) / 1st feature film
- EGYPT – Moonblind by Nada Riyadh, produced by Ayman El Amir (Felucca Films) / 2nd feature film
- ARGENTINA – The Days Off by Lucila Mariani, produced by Paula Zyngierman (MaravillaCine) / 1st feature film
- CHILE – Erratics by Thomas Woodroffe, produced by Rodrigo Díaz (Fiebre) / 1st feature film
- COSTA RICA – Awaiting Birds by Sofía Quirós Ubeda, produced by Mariana Murillo Quesada (Sputnik Films) / 2nd feature film
- INDIA – The Sacrifice by Ridham Janve, produced by Kartikeya Naravan Singh (The Film Cafe) / 2nd feature film
- PHILIPPINES – Ria by Arvin Belarmino, produced by Kristine De Leon (MUD Studios) / 1st feature film
La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut français is a scouting and promotion programme for filmmakers and producers from emerging countries in the South, offering tailored support for first or second film projects, in close collaboration with the Festival de Cannes, le Marché du Film and numerous professional partners.
- 10 feature films of fiction have been selected, made by 5 female directors and 5 male directors, 4
- female producers and 6 male producers.
- 6 projects are first films and 4 projects are second films.
- 6 projects are from member states of the OIF (Egypt / Lebanon / Senegal / Tunisia) or OIF observers
- (Argentina / Costa Rica).
- It is the first time that Nigeria has been selected for La Fabrique.
For more information, please visit La Fabrique Cinéma.
