Director: | Kaouther Ben Hania |
---|---|
Production: | Tanit Films (Nadim Cheikhrouha), Cinetele films (Habib Attia), Twenty Twenty Vision (Thanassis Karathano, Martin Hampel), Kwassa Films (Annabella Nezri), Laika Film and Television (Andreas Rocksen), Metafora Media Production (Fayçal Hassaïri), Sunnyland Film as a member of A.R.T. Group, (Antoine Khalife), Film i Vast (Anthony Muir), VOO Be tv (Philippe Logie), Istiqlal Films (Philippe Faucon) |
Running Time: | 104’ |
Language: | English, Arabic, French |
Country: | Tunisia, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden |
Main Cast: | Yahya Mahayni, Dea Liane, Monica Bellucci, Koen de Bouw, Darina Al Joundi, Christian Vadim |
Screenplay: | Kaouther Ben Hania |
Cinematographer: | Christopher Aoun |
Editor: | Marie-Hélène Dozo |
Production Designer: | Sophie Abdelke |
Costume Designer: | Randa Khedher |
Music: | Amine Bouhafa |
Sound: | Anders Billing, Vive Leny Andrieux |
Visual Effects: | Jean-Michel Boublil |
The Man Who Sold His Skin
![](https://static.labiennale.org/files/styles/full_screen_slide/public/cinema/2020/970x647/970x647_Agenda/Orizzonti/the-man-who-sold-his-skin.jpg?itok=5JpdUc4r)
synopsis
Sam Ali, a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the World’s most sulfurous contemporary artist. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however come to realize that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom.
director's statement
This project is born from the encounter between two worlds. The world of contemporary art, and more particularly the work of the Belgian artist Wim Delvoye (Tim, 2006) and the world of political refugees—especially Syrian refugees, their struggle with travel documents and residency permits... I have indeed asked myself: “What would happen if... a famous artist offered to a refugee to become his work of art to solve his freedom of movement problem?” Thus, was born the journey of Sam Ali: a passionate young refugee thrown into a cynical world. An ordinary man facing an extraordinary adventure. The film is also a love story where the protagonist is separated from the woman he loves, and he tries to recover even if he has to lose his dignity and his skin in the process. Or what does it mean to be free when the game is already rigged, when you don’t have much of a choice? The Man Who Sold His Skin is an allegory about one’s personal freedom in an inegalitarian system tackling broader meaning about our real-world issues.
PRODUCERS/DISTRIBUTORS
PRODUCTION 1: Nadim Cheikhrouha - Tanit Films
61 rue Piat
75020 – Paris, France
Tel. +33 6 82 80 64 87
nadim.cheikhrouha@gmail.com
PRODUCTION 2: Habib Attia – Cinetelefilms
23, rue d’Andalousie, Tunisia
Tel. +216 23 449 001
mh.attia@cinetelefilms.net
http://www.cinetelefilms.net/
PRODUCTION 3: Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel - Twenty Twenty Vision
Schwedter Strasse 13
10119 – Berlin, Germany
Tel. +49 30 612 817 50
tkarathanos@twentytwentyvision.eu
mhampel@ twentytwentyvision.eu
PRODUCTION 4: Annabella Nezri - Kwassa Films
Chaussée d'Alsemberg 286
1190 – Bruxelles, Belgium
Tel. +32 2 880 97 00
annabella@kwassa.be
PRODUCTION 5: Andreas Rocksén - Laika Film & Television,
Västgötagränd 13
11828 - Stockholm, Sweden
Tel +46703011205/+4686680540
andreas@laikafilm.se
OTHER COPRODUCTIONS: Guillaume Rambourg; Rafik & Lassaad Kilani; ZDF/ ARTE; Metafora Media Production; Sunnyland Film as a member of ART group ; Film i Vast; Voo Be TV; Istiqlal Films
WORLD SALES: BAC Films
9 rue Pierre Dupont
75010 – Paris, France
Tel. +33 1 80 49 10 00
Mob. +33 6 47 00 96 39
sales@bacfilms.fr
http://www.bacfilms.com/international
PRESS OFFICE: Brigitta Portier – Alibi Communications
brigittaportier@alibicommunications.be
www.alibicommunications.be