French-Lebanese short film LES CHENILLES — directed by the Keserwany Sisters, Michelle and Noel — walked home with the Audience Award at the recently concluded eighth edition of the Batroun Mediterranean Film Festival, which took place in Lebanon from September 5th to the 8th.
This comes after a string of awards over the past few months including the Gouna Star for Best Arab Short Film at the El Gouna Film Festival, Jury Award at the Mizna Arab Film Festival, Best Acting and Best Screenplay at the Mieres Film Festival, Best Script at the Festival du Film Libanais de France.
LES CHENILLES — which world premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and was the first Arab short ever to win its coveted to Golden Bear for Best Short Film — has also received the Jury Prize at the Malmö Arab Film Festival, Audience Award at the Champs-Élysées Film Festival, a Special Mention from the Kinmastik International Short Film Festival in Malta, and Best Short Film at the Arab Film Festival. It was also nominated for the Best Short Film Award by the European Film Academy.
Moreover, it has screened at over 20 prestigious international film festivals, including the Format Court, Lichter, Golden Harvest, Diaspora, Kurzfilm, SAFAR, Tetova, Concorto, Dokufest, Kerala, FIRST, and Golden Ger international film festivals.
LES CHENILLES follows two waitresses, Asma and Sarah — two women originally from the Levant — who find themselves working in the same restaurant in the city of Lyon, France, and both bear the weight of a home they were forced to leave behind.
Initially wary of each other, they gradually discover a common thread that binds them — one that dates back to when the Silk Road connected Lyon to their home countries. In the midst of forced migrations, can they move past their animosity to find solace in each other?
Written and directed by Michelle and Noel Keserwany, LES CHENILLES stars Noel Keserwany and Masa Zaher; is produced by Biennale de Lyon, Dewberries Film, and Marine Vaillant; is lensed by Karim Ghorayeb and edited by Konstantin Bock.
Meanwhile, Italy-based distribution company Lights On acts as the film’s international sales agent, while MAD Distribution handles its distribution and sales in the Arab-speaking world.
The short drama was supported by the CNC – Aide au parcours d’Auteur, la CinéFabrique de Lyon, and la Cité Internationale des Arts de Paris.
Michelle and Noel Keserwany are Lebanese musicians, writers, and filmmakers who live between Beirut and Paris.
Ever since Michelle co-wrote Academy Award nominee CAPERNAUM with director Nadine Labaki, the sisters started working on their own film projects, including the political documentary SLOW BURN — a co-production between France and Lebanon that is produced by Special Touch Studios and supported by the CNC.
