German Films

Al-Halqa – Im Kreis der Geschichtenerzaehler
AL-HALQA – IN THE STORYTELLER’S CIRCLE
At the Jemaa El-Fna market, the so-called Hangman’s
Square in Marrakech, talented storytellers have been offering
their “services” for years to a demanding and sophisticated
audience. Their oral tradition has even been granted
UNESCO recognition for intangible cultural heri tage of
humanity – a heritage that is increasingly at risk of disappearing
in today’s technological world.
Abderahim is one of the best storytellers at Jemaa El-Fna
and he wants his son Zoheir to follow in his footsteps. But
Zoheir is ashamed to take money from his audience. His
father takes him on a trip through Morocco and Zoheir
recognizes that there is more to storytelling than just a
voice, rhythm and intonation. One must know one’s own
story first.
World Sales (please contact)
Thomas Ladenburger Filmproduktion · Thomas Ladenburger
Lausitzer Strasse 34, 2. Hof · 10999 Berlin/Germany
phone +49-30-21 99 63 48 · fax +49-30-21 99 63 50
email: tladen@alhalqa.com · www.alhalqa.com
Genre Society Category Documentary Cinema Year of
Production 2010 Director Thomas Ladenburger Screenplay
Thomas Ladenburger Director of Photography Thomas
Ladenburger Editor Lena Rem Music by Louis Soret, Jens
Scheuter, Halqa Tqitikat, Halqa Argan, Brahim Boukrim Producer
Thomas Ladenburger Production Company Thomas
Ladenburger Filmproduktion/Berlin With Abderahim El Maqori,
Zoheir El Maqori, Mohammed Hassan El Joundi Length 90 min
Format HD Blow-up 35 mm, color, 1:1.78 Original Version
Arabic, Derija Dubbed Version German Subtitled Versions
German, English, French, Arabic Sound Technology Dolby
Digital 5.1 Festival Screenings Festival des deutschen Films
Mannheim 2010 With backing from BKM
Thomas Ladenburger was born in 1975 in Ellwangen. After
study ing at the San Francisco Art Institute and the Kassel Art
Institute, he moved to Berlin, where he gained his Diploma at the
University of Arts (UdK) in 2003. He then worked as a freelance
filmmaker and as a teacher at the University of Arts. His research
for the film Al-Halqa was financed through a scholarship of the
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Since 2007 he is
working as a freelance artist and filmmaker.
german films quarterly new german films
3 · 2010 30
Scene from “Al-Halqa”
(photo © Thomas Ladenburger)