Simone Bitton, a Paris-based, French-Moroccan director whose work has primarily concentrated on the history and cultures of North Africa and the Middle East, makes her debut in the Masters section at IDFA—arguably the most prestigious of the documentary festival’s strands—with the world premiere of “Ziyara.”
Bitton herself has mixed feelings about the accolade, as she makes quite clear. “I don’t consider myself a master,” she says. “I know that I have some kind of experience and maybe my experience is a little particular, but to be a master, I’m not sure I like it. It puts you in a category, it labels you: ‘That’s it—that’s what she’s doing’—and I hope to do more films and maybe different films. Nonetheless, I take it as an honor.”
For her latest film, Bitton returned to her homeland, where “ziyara”—or “the visit of...
Bitton herself has mixed feelings about the accolade, as she makes quite clear. “I don’t consider myself a master,” she says. “I know that I have some kind of experience and maybe my experience is a little particular, but to be a master, I’m not sure I like it. It puts you in a category, it labels you: ‘That’s it—that’s what she’s doing’—and I hope to do more films and maybe different films. Nonetheless, I take it as an honor.”
For her latest film, Bitton returned to her homeland, where “ziyara”—or “the visit of...
- 11/27/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
Similar News
Claire Denis, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Christian Petzold, Apichatpong Weerasethakul & More Sign Demand for Ceasefire in Gaza
- 12/29/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Lamia Chraibi Teams With Hicham Lasri on Pan-Arab Supernatural Series ‘Meskoun’ (Exclusive)
- 12/5/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Israeli Helmers Join Call On Locarno Fest To Drop ‘Israel Film Focus'; Tessa Ross Quits National Theatre: Global Briefs
- 4/17/2015
- Deadline TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.