Hind Benchekroun

Ma traversée is a personal quest, filmed over 20 years, recounting the racial issues and privileges that have punctuated the filmmaker’s life in three French-speaking societies: Guadeloupe, France and Quebec. From her own story emerges the broader narrative of colonization, colorism, assimilation, integration and the social benefits of “race” and their impact even today. Brutalized by police officers in Montreal in December 2017 in front of witnesses, the filmmaker takes a step back to understand this gesture, which speaks to the social interpretation of skin color.

A small village in Turkish Anatolia slowly becomes a ghost town as families move abroad, leaving behind a group of dedicated women who keep things running, in this rare document of the hidden consequences of migratio Xalko is Director Sami Mermer’s birthplace, as he returns from his new home in Canada to reconnect with his relatives. Along with the help of Co-director Hind Benchekroun, the film is afforded an intimacy and honesty that doesn’t come easy as the women divulge the details of their private lives and frustrations. They eschew sentimentality for a grounded look at an increasingly unfamiliar way of life.

This film celebrates longevity by introducing us to three colorful characters, all in their 80s, living in the North of Morocco. They share the courage and the pride of working continuously. Chehma is a former master fisherman, owner of a boat. Even though it leaks a little, he dreams of taking it back to sea. Abdesslam works as a street musician and his major objective is to arrange the marriage of his oldest son. Erradi, an innkeeper, is proud of his 30 year-old car and lives like a hermit, surrounded by an amazing collection of old clocks. Each in their own way demonstrate beautifully a strong will to live.

Istanbul, a crossroads of Europe and Asia, serves as a gateway for migrants from Africa and the Middle East to Europe. Syrian and Iraqi refugees, cosmopolitan youth, disillusioned Arab Spring supporters, and undocumented migrants from Black Africa gather in the city’s callshops, which are vital links to their home countries. The film captures the conversations and emotionally charged moments in these callshops, offering a powerful testament to the migrant experience in the 21st century.