After two days of pitching, the jury of the 32nd edition of the Development Grant awarded within the framework of the 44th Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival handed out its Grand Prix to Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore, the fiction feature debut project from Egyptian director Morad Mostafa. The script centres on Aisha, a Somali caregiver living in Cairo where she witnesses the underworld of African society, rife with tension between groups. Stuck in a dead-end relationship, routine and her dreary job, she is pushed into an impasse… Production is handled by Egypt’s Sawsan Yusuf for Bonanza Films.

Handed out by a jury which included Georges Goldenstern (former director of the Cannes Film Festival’s Cinéfondation), Catherine Bizern (Céci Moulin d’Andé), screenwriter and producer Yasmina Nini-Faucon (Istiqlal Films) and producer Thierry Lenouvel (Ciné-Sud Promotion), this Development Grant of €8,000 is provided by the CNC. In addition, €2,500 of post-production services are offered by Titra Film.

The second grant (worth €4,000 provided by the Occitania region, with an additional €5,000 of post-production services at French Kiss Studio and Saraband) went to another Egyptian feature debut project: Searching For Woody by Sara Shazli. The director has created a story that revolves around the character of Sara, a solitary little girl growing up in Cairo with Woody, her Ethiopian nanny, and her workaholic mother. Twenty years later, Sara decides to confront her mother. Will Sara be able to free herself from the burdens of the past before she becomes a mother herself? Production is handled by Marianne Khoury for Misr International Films.

Finally, a writing residency offered by the Moulin d’Andé was the prize for Jugoslavia, the sophomore feature film project from Montenegrin director Ivan Bakrac (who made a strong impression with After the Winter [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Ivan Bakrač
scheda film]). Written by the director, the script centres on Jugoslava who, on her 55th birthday and in order to overcome her complete loneliness after her son's departure abroad, looks for a new flat while she is on holiday. This search will change her life in an unexpected way… Production is handled by Guillaume de Seille for French company Arizona Productions, in association with Montenegro and Serbia.

For its part, the jury of the 8th edition of the "Du court au long" scheme (open to filmmakers showcased in Montpellier in the short film competition and who wish to present a feature film project) has offered two writing residencies: the one provided by Méditalents went to Milah from Israeli director Amos Holzman, while the Moulin d’Andé residency went to Laser Love Tornado from French director Théo Laglisse. Worth pointing out are two Special Mentions, for L’Apocalypse arabe by French filmmaker (with Moroccan background) Samy Sidali, and Leitmotiv by French filmmaker Léonore Mercier.

The complete list of winners:

Development Grant

Grand Prix
Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore - Morad Mostafa (Egypt)

Second grant
Searching For Woody - Sara Shazli (Egypt)

Residency at the Centre des écritures cinématographiques du Moulin d'Andé
Jugoslavia - Ivan Bakrac (Montenegro/Serbia/France)

"Du court au long" scheme

Méditalents Writing residency
Milah - Amos Holzman (Israel)

Residency at the Centre des écritures cinématographiques du Moulin d'Andé
Laser Love Tornado - Théo Laglisse (France)

Special Mentions
L’Apocalypse arabe - Samy Sidali (France)
Leitmotiv - Léonore Mercier (France)