22/11/2024 - Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Alexis Manenti lead the cast of the filmmaker’s second feature, which is steered by Gloria Films and TS Productions, and sold by France tv distribution

Having kicked off on 14 October, filming on Pieces of a Foreign Life, Gaya Jiji’s second feature film after My Favourite Fabric [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (unveiled in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in 2018) is due to wrap on 22 November in Bordeaux.

The Syrian director based in France has entrusted her lead roles to Zar Amir Ebrahimi (awarded an acting trophy in Cannes 2022 and nominated for the European Film Award for Best Actress via Holy Spider [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ali Abbasi
interview: Ali Abbasi
interview: Zar Amir Ebrahimi
film profile], touring cinemas in Italy since yesterday, and competing in Tallinn this week via Reading Lolita in Tehran [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Alexis Manenti (who scooped 2020’s Best Newcomer César for Les Misérables [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ladj Ly
film profile] and who’s starring in The Mohican [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Frédéric Farrucci
film profile] this year), with further acting support coming from Egypt’s Amr Waked (Syriana, Lucy [+see also:
trailer
making of
film profile]), Megan Northam (well-received this year in Meanwhile on Earth [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and hitting French cinemas on 27 November in Rabia [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mareike Engelhardt
film profile]) and Grégoire Monsaingeon (starring in this year’s Niki [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Penned by the director and Sarah Angelini in collaboration with Agnès Feuvre (nominated for 2022’s Best Original Screenplay César thanks to The Divide [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Catherine Corsini
film profile]) and Mehdi Ben Attia (who directed The String [+see also:
trailer
film profile], among other works), the story revolves around Selma who flees Syria, leaving behind a 6-year-old son and a husband who has vanished into the regime’s prison system. Once arrived in Bordeaux following a dangerous journey, she works endless hours off the books, whilst beginning a new battle for the right to asylum and to bring her son Rami over from Syria. Selma soon makes the acquaintance of a lawyer called Jérôme, and their subsequent relationship calls everything into question…

Pieces of a Foreign Life is being produced by Laurent Lavolé for Gloria Films and by Gilles Sacuto and Miléna Poylo for TS Productions, in co-production with France 3 Cinéma and Belgian firm Panache Productions. Pre-purchased by OCS/Ciné+ and France Télévisions, the feature film also enjoys support from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the Gironde department and Bordeaux Métropole where the film was shot in its entirety, with Antoine Héberlé (nominated for the 2017 Best Cinematography Lumière via A Woman’s Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Stéphane Brizé
film profile]) heading up photography. World sales are entrusted to France tv distribution while the title’s French release falls to Tandem Films.

For the record, Gloria Films are set to release Julien Menanteau’s Lads [+see also:
film review
film profile] in French cinemas on 19 March, while TS Productions will be banking on Giulio Callegari’s Un monde merveilleux [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (produced by Marianne Productions) as of 15 January.

(Translated from French)