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TO DANIEL

creative documentary

Production
Alex films
monyalex.mm@gmail.com

Director
Marwa ELSHARKAWY
Egypt

Producer
Mony MAHMOUD
Egypt

Synopsis

An old Armenian man and a saint of cinema creates an imaginary world of distant dreams for his young director friend so that she can restore her love for living after an ordeal of illness and isolation. They embark on a challenging, transformative journey to achieve those dreams together. He seeks to direct his first film in his seventies, and she documents that journey as her second film, during which she discovers many things about her and him and seeks a new beginning for both of them. Eventually, their journey blossomed into a close friendship filled with stories about love, life, and cinema, that they feared the ending of their friendship.

Production note

We have been working on this project for four years, from developing the concept and script to beginning the visual production given that the protagonist is in his seventies, and we didn’t have much time to waste in fear of losing him at any moment. The director and I have used our own resources in the making of this film and were able to take part in several film development programs. During these four years, we have developed and filmed more than 70% of the project. We have dozens of hours’ worth of footage that helped us develop our original concept and bridge the gap between us and Daniel’s internal world, by accompanying him at times and chasing him at others.

I work with an exceptional production team that has financed this project with the help of organizations and funds in Africa and the Middle East to complete filming the remainder of the film and begin the post-production stage. I firmly believe that we are on the verge of an exquisite and unforgettable film about life.

About us

Les Ateliers de Grand-Bassam is brought to life by Grand-Bassam Project, a non-profit association that embodies excellence in the film and audiovisual industry. The association is an organization of filmmakers, producers and cultural industry professionals from Ivory Coast, the continent and beyond, who help incubate performing arts and audiovisual projects by applying alternative methods of management, production, marketing and distribution in countries across the continent.

Grand-Bassam Project’s main objective is to contribute to the emergence of a solid, internationally competitive African cultural industry, notably through the development of the performing arts and audiovisual sector, capable of contributing to improving the economic impact of culture and consolidating the employability of young people.

Specifically, the objectives of the Grand-Bassam Project are to :

– Implement and consolidate an incubator for cultural projects and professional training workshops for artists and producers from Ivory Coast and other countries on the continent.

– Contribute to the reappropriation by Ivorian cultural players of the conception and governance of cultural policies, in partnership with public decision-makers at national level.

– Contribute to the dissemination of cinematographic works from the continent Formalize and implement a strategy for the implementation of activities, a risk management plan, as well as a monitoring and evaluation plan for all actions.

– Produce and/or co-produce performing arts and audiovisual works and projects for dissemination on the continent and internationally.

– Intensify artistic education initiatives aimed at children, young people and the general public.

Grand-Bassam Project is in the process of launching its program of activities, which include training, production, distribution, image education and consulting for the first edition of the Ateliers de Grand-Bassam. In keeping with its management strategy, the company’s aim is to combine production activities with socio-educational initiatives.

By working closely with sister organizations in Ivory Coast who share the same passion, Grand-Bassam Project will contribute to the future of cinema in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.

The association capitalizes on the experience acquired over the last ten years by the Ouaga Film Lab, and projects will be carried out with the expertise required to increase the competitiveness of Ivorian and African filmmakers on the world stage.