Animalia, a French-Moroccan sci-fi film, is set to be featured in the Festival Favorites section of the upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival’s third edition, scheduled from November 30 to December 9, 2023.
Egypt’s Film Clinic has acquired distribution rights for the film in the Middle East and North Africa region from Paris-based sales company Totem Films.
Having made its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Animalia garnered acclaim by winning the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision.
Produced by Margaux Lorier at Paris-based Wrong Films, along with Toufik Ayadi and Christophe Barral at Srab Films and Dounia Benjelloun Mezlan at Casablanca-based Dounia Production, Sofia Alaoui takes on a dual role as director and producer for her feature debut.
The film narrates the story of Itto, a pregnant Moroccan woman entangled in an otherworldly invasion. As supernatural events unfold, the narrative delves into Itto’s journey of separation from her husband and newfound family, leading to self-discovery, emancipation, and a profound exploration of the intersections between faith, purpose, and societal prejudices.
Sofia Alaoui, a filmmaker with a visual sensibility, has previously received accolades for her short films, including So What If the Goats Die (Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival 2020, César Awards Best Short Film 2021).
