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PRODUCTION / FUNDING France / Taiwan

Rachid Hami is shooting For My Country

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- Karim Leklou, Shaïn Boumedine, Lubna Azabal, Samir Guesmi and Laurent Lafitte all star in the cast of the filmmaker’s second feature, which is produced by Mizar Films

Rachid Hami is shooting For My Country
Actors Karim Leklou and Shaïn Boumedine (© Georges Biard)

Having kicked off with a week in Morocco at the end of July, filming on For My Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rachid Hami
film profile
]
, Rachid Hami’s second feature film after Orchestra Class [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(unveiled out of competition in Venice 2017), is set to continue over the course of three sessions, unfolding in France between 27 September and 29 October, and again between 12 and 13 January 2022, and then in Taiwan between 11 December and 3 January.

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The cast stars Karim Leklou (nominated for the 2019 Best New Hope César by way of The World Is Yours [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Romain Gavras
film profile
]
, well-received in Cannes via Playground [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Wandel
film profile
]
and The Stronghold [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, and touring cinemas from 22 September in The Third War [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Giovanni Aloi
film profile
]
), Shaïn Boumedine (revealed via Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, likewise well-received in Atomic Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, and hitting cinemas next year in Placés) and Belgium’s Lubna Azabal (recently seen in Adam [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
). Other names shining bright in the line-up include Samir Guesmi (recently at his best in Ibrahim [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), Laurent Lafitte (touring cinemas as of 15 September in The Origin of the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Lafitte
film profile
]
) and Lyes Salem (hitting cinemas on 6 October courtesy of Honey Cigar [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kamir Aïnouz
film profile
]
), not to mention Taiwan’s Vivian Sung, Slimane Dazi and Arthur Igual.

Written by Rachid Hami and Ollivier Pourriol, and earning itself the 2020 Prix du Scénario Grand Prize, the story revolves around Aïssa Saïdi, a young, 23-year-old police officer of Algerian origin who dies during an initiation ritual for the prestigious Saint-Cyr French military school. His big brother Ismaël - the black sheep of the family - finds himself taking the lead on the funeral arrangements... The film is based on a personal tragedy experienced by the director himself in 2012.

For My Country is produced by Nicolas Mauvernay on behalf of Mizar Films (who previously partnered with Hami on his first feature), in co-production with France 2 Cinéma and Taiwanese firm Ma Studio. Pre-purchased by France 2, Canal+ and OCS, the feature film also enjoys support in the form of an advance on receipts from the CNC, as well as backing from the SOFICA companies Cofinova, Cofimage and Cinémage. The film shoot will unfold over ten weeks, with Jérôme Alméras (nominated for the 2014 photography Lumières Award thanks to The French Minister [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, and for the David di Donatello via Human Capital [+see also:
trailer
interview: Paolo Virzì
film profile
]
that same year) heading up photography. The film’s music will be composed by Dan Levy (handed the 2020 César in his speciality for I Lost My Body [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jérémy Clapin
film profile
]
) while editing will be managed by Joëlle Hache (who boasts one César and a further four nominations to her name). Distribution in France will be steered by Memento Distribution.

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(Translated from French)

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