كلمة المخرج

The film will be centered on daily living facts drawn from the spontaneity of the characters who live their daily events, to create a climate of privacy and documentation close to the reality of the characters. It relies on the internal space of the events that will reveal the imprisoned self within the psychology of the characters. Thus, the camera will be in a self-oriented relationship with the central characters, and will work on a fast rhythm in the narration of events and their synthesis. The movement will initially start in a slow pace to express the routines and the daily lives of the characters inside the plant. So the meaning changes shape in all its depth through the editing, in order to present a parallel aspect of storytelling. It constructs a new meaning by using various shots as an expressive device, adding a psychological edge to the scenes.

At the end, it will create a rhythm and add a dramatic dimension built on the double meanings. This film is crucial for me, for my characters who risk losing their lives at any moment. It's five years of hard work. This film will be like a punch in the face, it will not make any concession, neither aesthetic or dramatic; it will be cruel and beautiful, funny and tender, shocking and subversive. Just like the life of workers in the Menzel Bourguiba Steel Factory... this is the Fouledh life.

ملاحظة المنتج

It is a film that deals with an important subject: that of the influence of capitalism on the individual, and of the consequences that result from it on people and on the Tunisian society in transition. This film is about an explosive encounter with a reality far from the cameras of the media, which questions the urgency of "living.”

The entire film will be shot inside the factory. This is a cinematic tour de force. It’s an unprecedented visual and human experience. It’s a film that requires preparation to be ready to capture the emotions of the characters. We plan to shoot with the characters while they work, to place the camera within the heat of the fire of the factory. The director and his cinematographer carefully prepared this work. Our job as producers is to ensure that the poetic truth of the film is preserved from the first frame to the last one. This film is a challenging experience and we are very excited to initiate such a cinematic adventure.

We strongly believe that it has a powerful story to tell to the world and we all need to hear it now. At the same time, we are also very confident that the creative approach of our writers/directors will bring an innovative and unique feature to the story, managing to make the film reach an international audience.

فيلموغرافيا المنتج

Michel Balagué is the co-founder of the production company Mengamuk Films, which produces feature films, documentaries and artistic projects that tread new paths in form and content.

In 2013, Balagué produced Sieniawka by Marcin Malaszczak, which premiered at the 63rd Berlinale, won the first film prize in FID Marseille and the Arte Prize at Duisburg Filmwoche, and was released in Germany in May 2014. He also co-produced My Love Awaits Me by the Sea by Mais Darwazah, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, was in the competition of CPH:DOX, and received many awards at various international film festivals.

In addition, Balagué has founded the super 8 & 16mm collective LaborBerlin e.V., he has collaborated with several art institutions around the world and worked as a DOP on numerous films for which he received several awards. Balagué produced in 2016 The Last Days of the City by acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Tamer El Said.

Michel Balagué lives and works in Berlin.