2016
HUIS CLOS
Naïmé Perrette
Autarcie Tiger’s II
2014, 38 mn
Film réalisé avec le soutien de Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten
At the age of 24, Stéphane is embarking on his career and forging his identity, guided by Bertrand and Jino, who have been on board ship for years. Later on, in his turn, a teenager tries his hand at this kind of work, but quickly gives up this demanding profession. While the swift integration of Stéphane strengthens the cohesion of the crew, the teenager’s abandonment briefly weakens the jovial pride that cements their daily round.
Out at sea off France’s north coast, their life ashore fuels conversations which illustrate the present-day condition of a certain working-class youth. Wit, self-esteem and amour-propre, and a sense of belonging all carry on through the cycles that punctuate their life.
As a condensed vision of manly group relations, Autarcie Tiger’s II describes what motivates young men who have opted for a life marked by hard physical demands, and observes their exchanges which happen behind closed doors, in order to understand the way they see their own power. NP
Randa Maroufi
La grande Safae
2014, 16 mn
Production Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains
The film is freely inspired by a character who really existed, but vanished in the 1980s. Better known by the name of La Grande Safae, Safae was a transvestite who spent a part of his/her life as a household employee in my family, which was not aware of his “real” sexual identity. Because I had never been acquainted with this person, I embarked on an investigation among my relatives, which enabled me to get to know him/her better, and/or better misunderstand him: during my investigation I was offered differing contradictory versions of his story. The film was constructed from all this testimony.
Three actresses and an actor play the part of Safae, and take part in the sketched portrait of this elusive person. Real witnesses and actors tell anecdotes and describe this enigmatic character who for a long time caused me to fantasize. By mixing real history and fictional procedure, I raise the issue of the presentation and veracity of the facts, while evoking the perception of the character’s confused identity. La Grande Safae is a somewhat hybrid film. It tacks between documentary and fiction. RM