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SIMO

A FILM BY AZIZ ZOROMBA

*WINNER OF THE BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM AT THE CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS*

Short Film – Québec – 2022 – 23 min
Color | French and Arabic with English subtitles | 1.85 | 5.1

SYNOPSIS

The usual rivalries and jealousies that exist between the two Egyptian teenage brothers Simo and Emad take a dangerous turn that may seriously impact the future of their family.

Cast

Basel El Rayes, Seif El Rayes, Aladeen Tawfeek

Crew

DIRECTOR : Aziz Zoromba
WRITER : Aziz Zoromba
PRODUCERS : Rosalie Chicoine Perreault (Scara•b Films)
CINEMATOGRAPHY : Alexandre Nour Desjardins
PRODUCTION DESIGN : Kenny Dorvil, Rebecca Dory
SOUND DESIGN : Ilyaa Ghafouri
EDITING : Omar Elhamy, Aziz Zoromba
MUSIC : Ilyaa Ghafouri

Director statement

SIMO is a personal exploration of teenage-hood. It is an intimate look into an immigrant family’s resilience and the power they hold when united. I wanted to reconnect with the elements that defined that period for me: music, video- games & football — each representing alternative outlooks on masculinity & our attachment to cultural heritage. SIMO dives into the repercussions of growing up with the labels that coincide with being an Arab in the West, whilst also being a celebration of Egyptian culture, emphasized by its all-Egyptian cast.

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

A graduate of the Mel Hoppenheim film school, Aziz Zoromba is a Canadian-Egyptian director and producer. His works, documentaries and fiction, mainly explore the themes of cultural identity, family life and the repercussions of being a second generation Canadian. His short film Lointain (2020) was screened internationally at around thirty festivals. He is the recipient of a 2019 Sundance Ignite grant and fellowship from the Sundance Institute. His new short film SIMO will have its world premiere at TIFF 2022.

FILMOGRAPHY

SIMO I 2022

FARAWAY I 2020

FESTIVALS & AWARDS

Canadian Screen Awards, 2023 *BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM — Oscar-qualifying Award

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), 2022 *BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD — Oscar-qualifying Award

Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC), 2022 *AUDIENCE AWARD

Whistler Film Festival, 2022

Festival International du cinéma francophone en Acadie, 2022

South Western International Film Festival, 2022 *AUDIENCE AWARD

Sundance Film Festival,  2023

BERLINALE Generation, 2023

Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival, 2023

Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Film Festival, 2023

Festival Carrousel de Rimouski, 2023

Aspen ShortFest, 2023

Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma (RVQC), 2023

Festival REGARD, 2023 *SPECIAL MENTION – BEST YOUTH FILM COMPETITION

International Film Festival of Ottawa, 2023

Canada’s TOP TEN (TIFF), 2023

Gala Prends Ça Court!, Mars 2023 *DENIS VILLENEUVE’S FAVORITE SHORT AWARD *GRANDÉ STUDIOS AWARD *CHASSEUR FILMS AWARD *ROMEO AWARD *MAX MÉDIA FILMS AWARD *COLONELLE FILMS AWARD – BEST DIRECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY *DISTILLERIE DU QUAI AWARD *RAY-ON AWARD

Reel2Reel Vancouver, 2023

Filmfest Dresden, 2023

Festival de Cinéma Vues d’Afrique, 2023 *REGARD D’ICI AWARD

The Corner Seats International Film Festival, 2023

Zawya Shorts, 2023 *AUDIENCE AWARD *BEST FILM

Norwegian Short Film Festival, 2023

Cinema Jove – Valencia International Film Festival, 2023 

Durban International Film Festival, 2023 

New Directors New Films, 2023 

Toronto Arab Film Festival, 2023 *BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD

CineFest Miskolc, 2023

Festival du film de Knowlton, 2023 (Québec) *JURY FIRST PRIZE

Melbourne International Film Festival, 2023

Galway Film Fleadh, 2023

Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec (FCVQ), 2023

Filmoramax, 2023

HollyShorts Film Festival, 2023

Off-Courts Trouville, 2023

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival, 2023

Sarajevo Film Festival, 2023

Le Cri du Court, 2023  *PRIX SCOLAIRE LYCÉE ET MISSION LOCALE

Cinemagic Belfast, 2023

Arab Film Festival, 2023

CineKid Festival, 2023

CUT TO : GENT Short Film Festival,  2023

KUKI Film Festival (Interfilm Berlin), 2023

Durham Region International Film Festival, 2023 *BEST CANADIAN SHORT AWARD

Tehran International Short Film Festival, 2023

International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, 2023 *HONORARY MENTION – INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, 2023

Beirut Shorts Film Festival, 2023

Anchorage International Film Festival, 2023

Izmir International Short Film Festival, 2023

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