Moments before his capture by police, Amine, a thief digs a grave to hide a bag of money. Released from prison years later he returns to retrieve the bag, only to find a shrine to an Unknown Saint build directly over his loot, and a brand new village constructed all around it.

A film by Alaa Eddine ALJEM

MOROCCO / FRANCE / QATAR, 2019, Feature drama, 1h40, IN ARABIC (DARIJA) · Color ·

starring Younes Bouab, Salah Bensalah, Bouchaib Essamak

First Feature drama

Director's note
I've always wanted to work with the idea of rumor and the way it spreads, I fi nd it fascinating how, in societies like mine, word of mouth can feed rumors and create legends out of nothing. There is something highly filmic in these little white solitary tombs that rise up on the tops of hills or just outside villages. And then the idea that people could erect a tomb to an unknown man, and go on pilgrimages to it with faith and belief, although not knowing whom they honor, is fascinating in itself. In Saint inconnu my starting point is an absurd but realistic situation, out of which I develop a story with both dramatic and comic elements. - Alaa Eddine ALJEM

DIRECTOR
Alaa Eddine Aljem

PRODUCERS
Francesca Duca
Alexa Rivero

SCREENPLAY
Alaa Eddine Aljem

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Amine Berrada

EDITING
Lilian Corbeille

SOUND
Yassine Bellouquid
Paul Jousselin
Matthieu Deniau

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Kaoutar Haddioui

MUSIC
Amine Bouhafa

CAST
Younes Bouab
Salah Bensalah
Bouchaib Essamak
Mohamed Naimane
Anas El Baz
Hassan Ben Bdida
Abdelghani Kitab
Ahmed Yarziz

Shooting format
HD

Shooting location
Morocco

Budget
755.000 Euro

Financing in place (in 2015 Locarno FilmFest)
60.000 Euro

Production companies:
Le Moindre Geste (Morocco)
Altamar Films (France)

with the support of
OIF (Aide à la production, sept 2017): 50 000 €

Contacts

Production
LE MOINDRE GESTE
Francesca Duca
Tel. +212 6 45 42 90 87
fra.duca@gmail.com

Co-production
ALTAMAR FILMS
Alexa Rivero
Mob. +33 6 60 56 11 68
alexa@altamar-films.com

Distribution
CONDOR DISTRIBUTION
Alexis Mas
Tel. +33 1 55 94 91 70
contact@condor-films.fr

International sales
THE MATCH FACTORY GMBH
Michael Weber
Tel. +49 221 539 709 0
info@matchfactory.de

FRENCH PRESS
Laurence Granec / Vanessa Fröchen
Mob. +33 6 07 49 16 49 (Laurence)
Mob. +33 6 07 98 52 47 (Vanessa)
presse@granecoffice.com

INTERNATIONAL PRESS
WOLF CONSULTANTS
Gordon Spragg, Laurin Dietrich, Michael Arnon
Tel. +49 157 7474 9724
hello@wolf-con.com

REPRESENTATIVE IN CANNES 2019
THE MATCH FACTORY
Michael Weber
Tel. +49 221 539 709 0
info@matchfactory.de

2019 | 72nd Cannes Film Festival, France
* Selection - La Semaine de la Critique 2019 (Competition Feature Film).
* World Premiere / Première Mondiale
* Golden Camera Nominee
www.semainedelacritique.com/fr/edition/2019/film/the-unknown-saint

2016 | La Fabrique Cinéma 2016
* Project selected

2015 | Locarno Film Festival
* Project selected at The Open Doors
https://pardo.ch/fr/pardo/professionals/open-doors/film.html?fid=795502&eid=68