Private Project

Catharsys or The Afina Tales of The Lost World

by Edvinas Pukšta, POFF Tallinn Black Nights Programmer

15 writers of various nationalities contributed to fascinatingly borderless adventure, accomplished in 13 countries. At least 200 actors, extras, refugees and even famous personalities took part in soul-searching epic journey.

Nobody knows about pianist, actor, dancer, poet, philosopher Jamal (beauty) Afina (rot). His body is still on the Earth, but his head is already up in the skies. Probably he is not among us anymore, but he lost memory and wanders around the world. Curious traveller visits the great Chairman, whom millions want to meet. Chameleonic radio host on the "Morning Dark Show". From now incredible stories witnessed by Jamal will be accessible to everyone.

Moroccan filmmaker Y. M. Marroccu is worth to discover and follow. He impeccably mixes visionary sequences, archive documentary footage, excerpts from classical films, underground boxing duels, theatre performance, gracious circus spectacle, tribal dances, music by Balkan orchestra, Arabian hip-hop and Serbian ballads. Back and forth in dreams and real world, between past and present, fantasies and historical events, flashbacks and scary hallucinations without any chronology in tormented world, where everyone would sell their souls for one drop of water.

Unique, engaging, challenging cinematic experience constructed from long scenes, edited from small glimpses filmed in San Sebastian, Haifa, Beirut, Kabul, Algiers, Abidjan, Belgrade, magnificent desert of Sahara, other magical places. Don’t be afraid to get lost in puzzle of riddles about 9/11 terrorist attacks, immigration, greed, war, hunger, religions, drought, Shakespeare, Casanova, Lawrence of Arabia and many other topics.

  • yassine marco marroccu
    Director
  • yassine marco marroccu
    Writer
  • mehdi el khaoudy
    Writer
  • aida zeghari
    Writer
  • yassine marco marroccu
    Producer
  • nour aya
    Producer
  • said aboukir
    Producer
  • Mohamed Zouaoui
    Key Cast
    "Jamal Afina"
  • Aziz Dadas
    Key Cast
    "The Chairman"
  • Sonia Okacha
    Key Cast
    "Nora"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 38 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,200,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Morocco
  • Country of Filming:
    France, Italy, Morocco, Serbia, United States
  • Language:
    Arabic, English, French, Italian, Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    red, super 16
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.55
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Black Nights Film Festival - Tallinn
    Tallinn
    Estonia
    November 23, 2018
    World Premiere
    Black Nights Film Festival 1st Feature Movie Official Selection
  • Torino Film Festvial
    Torino
    Italy
    November 27, 2018
    Italian National Premiere
    Last Hours Pannel
  • Festival International du Film de Marrakech
    Marrakech
    Morocco
    December 7, 2018
    Moroccan National Premiere
    Panorama du Cinéma Marocain
  • Festical National du Film de Tanger
    Tanger
    Morocco
    March 23, 2019
    Prix de la Première Oeuvre - Prix du Scénario - Prix de la Photographie - Prix de la Musique
Distribution Information
  • yassine marco marroccu
Director - yassine marco marroccu