'Les Chenilles' is a directorial debut of the Lebanese duo Michelle and Noel Keserwany.
Filmmaking duo Michelle and Noel Keserwany’s acclaimed short film, Les Chenilles, winner of the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival—the first Arab film to receive this honour—is set to be featured at this year’s El Gouna Film Festival from December 14 to 21.
The Arab world premiere of Les Chenilles will be part of El Gouna Film Festival’s Short Film Competition in Short Film Package 4. The initial screening is scheduled for Tuesday, December 19 at 9 pm, followed by a second screening on Wednesday, December 20 at 8:30 pm, both at Sea Cinema 1.
Les Chenilles unfolds the narrative of two Levantine women, Asma and Sarah, working as waitresses in Lyon, France, burdened by the weight of their homes left behind. Initially cautious of each other, their stories intertwine, reaching back to Lyon’s Silk Road connections to their homelands. Amid forced migrations, can they overcome animosity and discover solace in each other?
Having garnered acclaim at international festivals, including the Jury Prize at the Malmö Arab Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Champs-Élysées Film Festival, Les Chenilles has earned praise for its complexity and energy, securing nominations and special mentions. MAD Solutions recently acquired the Arab world distribution rights for the film.
Written and directed by Michelle Keserwany, starring Noel Keserwany — who also co-directed it — and Masa Zaher, Les Chenilles is a collaborative production by Biennale de Lyon, Dewberries Film, and Marine Vaillant. The film, supported by CNC – Aide au parcours d’Auteur, la CinéFabrique de Lyon, and la Cité Internationale des Arts de Paris, reflects the creative prowess of the Keserwany duo, known as Lebanese musicians, writers, and filmmakers dividing their time between Beirut and Paris.
