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Corps diplomatique Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion Switzerland Writer/director Nadia Farès Producer Samir 6 • NPP 2008 Synopsis Ismail Attia is a brilliant student who is completing his degree at the prestigious Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva. It is the first time he has been separated from his family; it is also his first stay in Europe. Back in Cairo, he had already become aware that he was more attracted to men, but it is in Geneva that he first has one-night stands. He never sees the same man twice and never reveals his identity. And, when his family arrives in Geneva, he doesn’t risk his reputation any longer; instead, he assists his father, Hussein, in a delicate mission. But, at a diplomatic reception, Ismail falls in love with the attractive and intelligent waiter, Giuseppe. He starts to live a double life, careful and clever, never arousing suspicion. He uses his classmate, Aurelia, who is madly in love with him, to cover up his secret life. He even gives Aurelia an engagement ring. Surprised but flattered, she accepts. Ismail thinks that nobody will suspect the true going-ons in his life. At the same time, his father is on the receiving end of a lot of criticism to do with the poor conditions of women in his home country, and the fact that homosexuals are imprisoned there. Ismail’s brother, Mounir, who feels excluded from his father’s attention, discovers Ismail’s secret. He films his brother kissing Giuseppe. Hussein is given the tape to watch. Shocked, he refuses to acknowledge the fact that his eldest son is gay and asks Mounir to keep it a secret. Meanwhile, Ismail feels more and more pressured by the double-life that he is leading and tells Giuseppe about his fake engagement to Aurelia. Giuseppe is furious and they separate. Ismail’s father invites him to spend the evening with two call girls. His father wants answers. But his ploy does not deliver the desired results. He slowly understands that he can’t change his son. From that moment on, Hussein treats Ismail like a dog. He locks him in his room and confiscates his mobile, his keys and his passport. Ismail realises he has to make a decision: with the help of his sister and his mother, he leaves his family behind… Director’s statement Corps diplomatique is inspired by a true story. On September 25 2007, Mahmoud Ahmedinejab declared, during a conference in New York, that there were no homosexuals in Iran. Said without irony, the statement showed that, in Arab and Muslim cultures, homosexuality is still completely denied. Insults, mistreatment and imprisonments are the usual response. Ismail experiences similar treatment within his own family. His battle for emancipation is also a battle against a disgusting hypocrisy. The diplomatic environment in which the story takes place adds a touch of irony to Ismail’s quest for emancipation and the drama of deception and punishment. Ironically, Hussein, the defender of human rights in public, turns into an executioner in private. Amid such contradictions, Ismail has to make fundamental choices. The cruelty of this intimate coming-out story contrasts with the beauty of Geneva. The story isn’t told in a militant way: an ideological approach would have weakened the tragedy. The script makes use of comedic elements, which serve to enrich the human relations - because above all else, it is a family story with a universal theme. Director Nadia Farès Nadia Farès grew up in Switzerland. She lived in Cairo and New York before moving to Paris, where she currently lives and works. While attending classes at the Tisch New York University, she made her first short films. Whilst still studying, Farès met Kryzstof Kieslowski and started to work for him as an assistant. She was supported by him during the writing of the screenplay for her short film Sugarblues, with which she won the Stanley Thomas Johnson Prize. After her Masters degree in Fine Arts at New York University in 1996, she began working on her first feature film, Miel et cendres (Honey and Ashes), which enjoyed great acclaim at numerous international festivals and won several awards. Parallel to her work for TV, Farès also
Director Nadia Farès Producer Samir Writer Nadia Farès, Yann-Olivier Wicht, Yves Kopf Based on an original story Language Arabic, French, English Genre Family drama Format 35mm Running time 90 mins Ismail Attia, son of an Egyptian diplomat, is on the brink of a brilliant career in the diplomatic service. What nobody knows is that he is attracted to men. When Ismail falls in love for the first time, his double life starts to fall apart. He will have to make a decision that will change his life forever. teaches directing workshops and is currently developing various scripts including Secrets intimes, which will be produced by Dschoint Ventschr. Select filmography 1987 Semi-Sweet (short drama; 10 mins) 1988 1001 American Nights (short melodrama; 14 mins) Charlotte’s Empire (short comedy; 8 mins) 1991 Sugarblues (short drama; 30 mins) 1995 Lorsque mon heure viendra (documentary; 55 mins) 1996 Miel et cendres (feature; 80 mins) 1999 Les saveurs du printemps (short musical comedy; 25 mins) 2003 Anomalies passagères (feature; 90 mins) 2003-4 Faxculture (TSR/TV5; cultural reportages) 2004-6 Mise au point (TSR/TV5; series of short documentaries) Production company Dschoint Ventschr Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion develops, produces and markets films on cultural, political and social issues. The company’s documentary and feature films are concerned, above all, with themes of cross-cultural encounters, changing national identities, and unconventional interpretations of history. Dschoint Ventschr films take a critical, dynamic and often humorous look at the contemporary world. Its productions also make innovative use of film language, searching for new ways of seeing, and making use of the new media and new technologies. Since 1994, Dschoint Ventschr has produced more than 60 documentaries and feature films, mostly as international coproductions with Germany, France, Austria, the UK, Canada and others, as well as with renowned television companies such as Arte, 3Sat, WDR, ZDF, SWR, RTBF, and of course Swiss broadcasters SF, TSR and TSI. Many of the company’s films have won awards, including the feature films Fräulein directed by Andrea Staka (Golden Leopard, Locarno 2006); Snow White directed by Samir; Nachbeben directed by Stina Werenfels; Little Girl Blue directed by Anna Luif; Strähl directed by Manuel Flurin Hendry; and Miel et cendres directed by Nadia Farès. In 1997, Samir and Schweizer received the Zürich Film Prize for their outstanding work as producers. Current status We are currently financing and expect to have this complete by September 2008. Jean-Luc Van Damme’s Banana Films (Brussels) is currently attached as a partner. Pre-production is planned for November- December 2008, with shooting in January- February 2009. Of the budget, 65% comes from Switzerland, 10% from Belgium and 25% from France. Aims at the NPP We hope to strengthen our working relations with European co-producers, sales agents and distributors. For this project, we are still looking for a third co-producer, a sales agent and a distributor for Benelux. Target audience Arthouse, age 30-45 Budget €1,700,000 Cast Asser Yassin, Mahmoud Hmeida, Sumaya Al Khashaab, Assina Daoud, Saïd Taghmaoui, Roshdy Zem Contact Samir Dschoint Ventschr Zentralstrasse 156 8003 Zürich Switzerland Tel: (41) 44 456 30 20 Fax: (41) 44 356 30 25 samir@dschointventschr.ch www.dschointventschr.ch NPP 2008 • 7
Page 1: Netherlands Production Platform NPP
Page 4 and 5: The Netherlands Production Platform
Page 6 and 7: The Bear (Ursul) Libra Film Romania
Page 10 and 11: The Fields Savage Film Belgium Writ
Page 12 and 13: Invasion Twenty Twenty Vision Filmp
Page 14 and 15: Istanbul Új Budapest Filmstúdió
Page 16 and 17: Lonely Woman Artémis Productions B
Page 18 and 19: Our Grand Despair (Bizim büyük ca
Page 20 and 21: Playoff Topia Communications Israel
Page 22 and 23: The Runway Fastnet Films Ireland Wr
Page 24 and 25: Seeing Chris Newgrange Pictures Ire
Page 26 and 27: Shanghai- Belleville Clandestine &
Page 28 and 29: The Snow Queen (Lumekuninganna) F-S
Page 30 and 31: Svinalängorna (The Pigsties) Hepp
Page 32 and 33: Um-Hussein (Mother Hussein) Human F
Page 34 and 35: 1-900 (06) Column Film/Ironworks Ne
Page 36 and 37: A Kronstadt Tale Van Lieshout Filmp
Page 38 and 39: Lourdes Holland Harbour Productions
Page 40 and 41: Olga - Tomorrow I’ll Dance (Olga
Page 42 and 43: Shocking Blue Waterland Film Nether
Page 44 and 45: Sonny Boy Shooting Star Filmcompany
Page 46: Index English titles, original titl

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