Sara Nacer
Directing
Biography
Sara Nacer is an Algerian filmmaker based in Montreal where she also works as a digital product manager at Bell Media. After a postgraduate diploma at EM Strasbourg Business School, and a stint at La FEMIS, Laila Aoudj joined the Bejaia international festival of Rencontres Cinematographics where she became artistic director and programmer for five years. She also co-founded Dima Cinéma, a structure which aims to establish an alternative film distribution network in Algeria. His first documentary film “Let them all go”, shot in Algeria at the heart of the smile revolution, highlights the socio-cultural awakening of the young generation. Released in December 2019, the film broke records at the Cinémathèque québécoise with several sold-out screenings and great media coverage. She won the LOJIQ prize for a promising filmmaker at the Vues d’Afrique International Cinema Festival and the Best Documentary Film prize at the Images et vie Festival in Dakar. Her feature film “The Desert Rocker” was selected at the Tribeca Film Institute in 2017 and in artistic residency at the Jacob Burns Film Center in New York. She is also in production of a feature-length documentary selected for the Close-Up Initiative in 2020, an international development program for emerging filmmakers. Recognized in Montreal for her contribution to the promotion of cultural diversity, Sara has organized several events and produced several sold-out concerts, notably at Place des arts in Montreal.
Known For
The Desert Rocker is an intimate, witty and profound portrait of the extraordinary Hasna El Becharia, a pioneer Gnawa artist. The first musician to break through the social barrier of this culture, she empowers and inspires women of all ages by reclaiming a musical tradition reserved for men for centuries . A singularly talented artist, she leads women to redefine their roles and challenge cultural norms , one musical performance at a time.
The Desert Rocker
February 22, 2019 marks the start of a historic movement in Algeria, initially against the candidacy of President Bouteflika for a fifth term, then for the departure of all former dignitaries of the regime and the establishment of a Second Republic. Algerian-Canadian filmmaker Sara Nacer returns to Algeria to capture this “Hirak” (movement in Arabic) through her camera. Through her journey, she invites us to discover the young generation who are leading the "Smile Revolution" and building Algeria 2.0, with a strong political, cultural and social awareness.