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| From 'Let's Dream of a New World' |
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| Dounia Benjelloun |
Dounia
Productions, Casablanca, Morocco, swept up 15 awards plus a nomination for Best
of Festival –Corporate for its four entries in the 2016 U.S. International Film
& Video Festival. Dounia Benjelloun, a graduate of American University, was
the producer on all of films. She also owns Sand Hills Productions.
"Let's Dream
of a New World,"
done for BMCE Bank, received a Best of Festival-Corporate nomination for direction, two Gold Camera
Awards (for Direction and Cinematography), and a Silver Screen Award for Music.
The entry used images of knights crossing the desert to a citadel in an oasis
and finally to an urban, global world. The sequence represented the expansion
of BMCE Bank worldwide. Director was Juan Solanas; cinematographer was Steven
Pettiteville. Others on the project included Sound by Sigma Technologies, composer
Ludovic Bource, production manager Karim Wahib and actor Nicolas Cazale.
"Women in
Amazigh Music"
won a Silver Screen Award in Documentary Cinematography and three Certificates
for Creative Excellence in Direction, Editing and Short Documentary. In the
course of the film, the viewer meets and listens to individuals and troupes of
musicians both in Amazigh and in English as they sing and dance in the
tradition of Berber culture. In the 25-minute film the viewer hears and sees
most of the genres of music in the various regions of Morocco. The film
concludes with the live concert of a modern women's music group. Contributors
to the project included director Farida Benlyazid, cinematographer Hamid Ait
Lachquareand Editor Abderrahim Mettour. This same crew were part of two more
winning works, "Amazigh Wedding in the Anergui Valley" and “The
Little Maestros.”
"Amazigh
Wedding in the Anergui Valley" received a Silver Screen Award in
Documentary Feature and two Certificates for Creative Excellence for
Craft/Production Techniques in Cinematography and the Use of Music. The Anergui
Valley, near Zaouia Hanzala in the Tadla Azilal region, is ringed by mountains
and hard to reach but traditions remain strong. Film of the wedding captured
the characteristic chanting and dancing of participants along with the
costumes, jewelry and carpet patterns of the area. The men are tasked with buying all that is
necessary for the ceremony to be successful.
"The Little
Maestros"
earned five Certificates of Creative Excellence in Cinematography, Use of
Music, Direction, Editing and Documentary Feature. The most visible expression
of Amazigh or Berber culture is found in the Atlas, where it dates back 3,000
years with its sung poetry, music and dances. Many young children, like the
little maestros in the film, participate from a very early age and represent
the continuation and revival of the Amazigh culture. Moroccan youth are
motivated to join in the dance and to express their dreams for the future.
The
competition gave 19 Gold Camera, 36 Silver Screen, 88 Certificates for Creative
Excellence and three Student awards. More
information can be found at www.filmfestawards.comwww.filmfestawards.com and http://douniaproductions.com/
