38th edition 2023 short & midlength films
Nos îles
Aliha Thalien
In Martinique, a curse upon men leads to their disappearance. A group of young friends meet and talk about their relationship to the island.
Aliha Thalien got her degree in Film from the Sorbonne and a Master’s degree from the Beaux-Arts in Paris. As a filmmaker, an installation artist, and a sculptor, she develops her craft around language and memory. She’s directed two short films: Feu Soleil (selected in Brive and Angers) and Mon amie Moïra.
- Scénario
- Aliha THALIEN, Amanda NOIREN, CALICALí, Shanelle PUISY, Giovanny BERMONT, Fiona SOUTIF, Naisha URSULET, Coraline CHRONÉ
- Photographie
- Nino DEFONTAINE, Nicolaos ZAFIRIOU
- Son
- Alexandre PASTEL, Yohei YAMAKADO
- Montage
- Eva STUDZINSKI
- Production
- Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains
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A word from the selection committee :
Saturated colours and a seaside soundtrack reveal a picturesque location, which would perfectly fit on a postcard. From the very start, young filmmaker Aliha Thalien toys with the exotic clichés that we, coming from mainland France, have manufactured about Martinique; however, she doesn’t merely skim the surface, we feel her earnestly in awe of the wonderful landscapes of her homeland. Through sequences and her cinematographer’s colourful work, she encourages us to take a deep look at the scenery, until we finally see a ghostly presence, a shadow that disrupts these heavenly shores. Enters a small group of friends who will guide us through the second part of the film. The director’s sharp eyes and ears surprise us even more in her equally intense rendering of discussions among these youths from Martinique (in a playful mix of Creole and French); whether they’re chitchatting or discussing their political concerns about the independence of the island, which springs from their conversation like a tidal wave. Aliha Thalien’s trust in her actors is reflected in the room left for improvisation in the film.
- Paola Raiman