THE VANISHING holds packed screening at Marrakech International Film Festival
The 21st edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (Nov 29th to December 7th) featured a stunning full-house Arab World premiere of the Tunisian-French feature drama THE VANISHING.
The film tackles themes of identity, self-erasure, alienation, and violence, captivating audiences with its poignant storytelling as they embarked on an emotional journey alongside some of the actors Sammy Lechea and Zar Amir and film producer Dorra Bouchoucha, who were also in attendance.
Previously world premiering at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, THE VANISHING intricately explores the life of Reda, who despite living a privileged life, is part of a family that controls everything about it. As the pressure to break free from his parents’ influence builds, Reda finds himself veering closer to a mental break after he starts to notice his sense of self fading away.
Filmgoers at the Marrakech premiere were left spellbound by the performances of the talented cast, featuring Sammy Lechea, Zar Amir (Best Actress award in Cannes in 2022 for HOLY SPIDER), Hamid Amirouche, and Djalila Kadi-Hanifi. The film’s stunning visuals, crafted by cinematographer Kristy Baboul, combined with the evocative score by Florencia Di Concilio, created an immersive experience that resonated deeply with the audience.
Commenting on the film’s themes and its underlying message, director Karim Moussaoui stated, “This erasure is a phenomenon taking place in Réda’s mind only. But it is a metaphor for a very real situation: The inability, the impossibility for Réda to set himself free and follow a different path than the one which was chosen for him.”
“For me, this story has something very universal, how an environment, an all-powerful, oppressive parental figure, and imposed aspirations can constrain an individual to the point of alienation.”
Directed by Karim Moussaoui from a screenplay co-written with Maud Ameline (who co-wrote the filmmaker’s first film and was nominated at the 2013 Césars for Best Screenplay for CAMILLE REWINDS), THE VANISHING is produced by David Thion, under the esteemed production companies Les Films Pelléas and Nomadis Images, with MK2 FILMS handling distribution worldwide and MAD Distribution managing it in the Arab World.
The film’s development was supported by several prestigious grants, including the Red Sea Fund, Creative Europe MEDIA, and the Mini Traité Franco Allemand. The project also received backing from the Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, MBB, MOIN, and Nordmedia, showcasing a collaborative effort across various regions.
Karim Moussaoui is known for UNTIL THE BIRDS RETURN, which was selected for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and the critically acclaimed THE DAYS BEFORE, which made its way to the Locarno, Clermont-Ferrand, and Brive film festivals.
