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Animalia

Animalia

Animalia

Dir. Sofia Alaoui
90 min

Itto is a pregnant woman from a modest background, married to an extremely wealthy man in Morocco. When he travels for business, she’s able to stop putting on airs–but when nationwide mysterious phenomena arise, will Itto adapt or succumb?

Itto has moved up in the world–married to a wealthy man whose family is firmly in the upper-crust, she’s pleased with her position. But it can be a grind, constantly suppressing her background, constantly on the edge, making sure to fit in and be proper. So when he goes away for a business trip, Itto, due to have a baby any day, looks forward to being in an empty house and just being herself. Suddenly, there’s a national state of emergency as supernatural forces buttress the country. Panicked, Itto struggles to find her husband, but ends up finding a state of grace. Director Sofia Alaoui perfectly balances the threads of class, of motherhood, and simply of being, in this wonderfully arresting science fiction masterpiece.

Film Details

Release Year: 2023
Runtime: 90 min
Country/Region: Morocco, France, Qatar
Language: French, Arabic, Berber
Print Source: Dark Star Pictures
Tags: Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction, SWANA Stories, Women Directors

Cast/Crew

Director: Sofia Alaoui
Producer: Margaux Lorier, Toufik Ayadi, Cristophe Barral
Cinematographer: Noé Bach
Screenwriter: Sofia Alaoui
Editor: Héloïse Pelloquet
Composer: Amine Bouhafa
Principal Cast: Oumaïma Barid, Mehdi Dehbi, Fuad Oughaou, Souad Khouyi