And if not now, when?
Marrakech was in 1940 the hometown to 25.000 Jews, today only about 100 remain. This essay documentary makes an intimate journey into the world of Paulette, one of the last remaining Jews who decided to stay and is reflecting on a universal question: where do you feel at home?
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Guy De TroyerDirector
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Guy De TroyerWriter
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Mostafa BenkerroumWriter
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RITCSProducer
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ESAVProducer
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Diren AgbabaDOP
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Seba SegersDOP
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Youssef LizzySOUND
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Said OuhssataSOUND
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Jérôme BartholomeusEDITING
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Arne StevensSOUND EDITING AND SOUNDTRACK
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Peter KrügerSUPERVISORS FILMSCHOOL RITCS
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Jan VrommanSUPERVISORS FILMSCHOOL RITCS
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Diren AgbabaCOLOURGRADING
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Project Title (Original Language):Et si pas maintenant, quand?
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Project Type:Documentary, Student
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Runtime:27 minutes 40 seconds
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Completion Date:February 15, 2022
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Production Budget:14,000 EUR
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Country of Origin:Belgium
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Country of Filming:Morocco
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Language:Arabic, French
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Shooting Format:Blackmagic RAW 2K
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Aspect Ratio:2:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes - RITCS
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DOCVILLE (SABAM)Leuven
Belgium
March 28, 2022
World Premiere
Selection SABAM night -
Global University Film AwardsHong Kong
China
Shortlist november 2022 -
International Shortfilmfestival LeuvenLeuven
Belgium
December 3, 2022
Selection National Competition -
International Filmfestival TangierTangier
Morocco
December 24, 2022
African Premiere
Award for Best Script Documentary
Distribution Information
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RITCS (Tom Van Herzele)DistributorCountry: Belgium
Guy De Troyer obtained a master's degree in Political and Social Sciences (Communication Science) at Ghent University and worked for many years as a journalist, television reporter and podcaster on VRT, the flemish public broadcaster in Belgium. Together with a fellow journalist, he has won twice the Belfius Press Prize, the most important journalistic award in Belgium. Once for the television report 'The Divided Class', in which a famous American social experience about racism was repeated in an Antwerp class. The second press prize went to his podcast series 'The girls of the night', about human trafficking in Nigerian prostitution in Brussels. Out of a desire to think more profoundly about his position as a storyteller, he left his job and went to the Royal Institute of Theatre, Cinema and Sound (RITCS) in Brussels. Two of his Bachelor's short films have been selected at festivals: 'Léon Trouet Mokuna' was shown at the Leuven International Short Film Festival and 'Hallebaan 3' was selected at the Independent Brussels Film Festival. His master film 'Et si pas maintenant, quand? (And if not now, when?) is an intimate essay documentary into the world of Paulette, one of the last remaining Jews in Marrakech, from what in 1940 was still a thriving community of 25,000 Jews. The world premiere was at the International Filmfestival Docville in Belgium (Sabam night) in march 2022. Last December 'And if not now, when?' was selected by two international shortfilmfestivals, in Leuven and Tangier, in which it won an award for best script documentary.
The title of my short movie comes from a statement by a Jewish philosopher, Hillel the Elder. “If I'm not for myself, who's for me? And if I'm only there for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” It contains a universal wisdom that does not stop at the borders of Judaism. And that's why it appeals to me so much. Wisdom liberates people and shows them the way to each other. Hillel advocated tolerance and compassion for oneself and for others. One cannot exist without the other. And for both, there is no time to lose. "And if not now, when?" In a vulnerable way, this question is revealed to me in Paulette, the main character of the short film.
Quote that inspired the maker:
‘Jews and Moslims. We were brothers and sisters. When neighbours were ill, they rang our bell during the night, because they knew my Jewish mother was a nurse. And then she always went out to nurse them. Without any disctintion.’ - Paulette Moyal Hayot