LES BARONNES
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Fatima lives a quiet life in the Brussels district of Molenbeek. Devoted to her husband, she follows the rhythm of his trips to his home country, where he handles issues related to building their future house. While waiting for his return, she discovers he is leading a double life. Encouraged by her friends, she takes her life into her own hands and pursues her childhood dream: playing Hamlet on stage. After LES BARONS, Nabil Ben Yadir co-directs LES BARONNES with his mother Mokhtaria Badaoui, highlighting heroines rarely seen on screen. Mixing comedy and poetry, the film questions the place of minorities in society.
LES BARONNES Direction: Nabil Ben Yadir, Mokhtaria Badaoui, DCP, OmeU, 96 min
Guests
Nabil Ben Yadir gained recognition with his feature film debut, LES BARONS, which became the most successful Belgian film of 2009 and won numerous festival awards. In LA MARCHE, he tells the story of the 1983 March for Equality and Against Racism. In DODE HOEK and ANIMALS, he explores social and identity-related tensions in contemporary Belgium. With LES BARONNES, a social comedy co-directed with his mother, Mokhtaria Badaoui, he tells a humorous and heartwarming story of freedom, solidarity, and dignity. With each of his films, Nabil Ben Yadir offers a poignant reflection on our society and the people who shape it.
Badaoui Mokhtaria discovered cinema at an early age as a window to the world. She passed this enthusiasm on to her children, and countless family evenings were spent watching VHS tapes together. For her, cinema was never just entertainment, but a way to understand the world, share emotions, and pass on values. Many years later, it was she who gave her son, director Nabil Ben Yadir, the idea for LES BARONNES. Inspired by the older women she knew in her community, she wanted to highlight their strength, humor, and spirit of freedom. With LES BARONNES, her first feature film as a co-director, Badaoui Mokhtaria fulfilled a long-cherished dream.