Masquerades
North American Premiere

Masquerades

| France, Algeria | 90 MINUTES | Arabic
Drama, Comedy
All he wanted was a little respect and admiration from the neighbors in his small Algerian village. He got way more than he bargained for. Small-time gardener Mounir (director Lyes Salem) is tired of the village's mockery of his attractive younger sister Rym's narcolepsy. A moment was all it took to spin a fantastical web of lies that involves Rym's engagement to a European business mogul. As the story swells, a maelstrom of excitement envelopes Mounir and his family, who can't help but get swept up in the adulation and praise. But soon they find themselves in a tangled mess of jealousy and irrepressible desire around the impending wedding hysteria.

Set amidst the desert landscape of rural Algeria with an attractive cast, quirky characters, and strong direction and acting, this light comedy of errors is a treat with a larger social purpose. With two award-winning short films under his belt (including the César-winning Cousines), writer/director Lyes Salem's feature debut received accolades at international film festivals and was awarded a Lumiere Award for Mohamed Bouchaïb's performance as Mounir's son.

Cast & Credits
Directed by
Lyes Salem and Lyes Salem
Lyes Salem (b. 1971, Algeria) has acted in theater productions, on TV, and in films. He studied modern letters at the Sorbonne, the Ecole du Théâtre National de Chaillot, and at the Conservatoire National d'Art Dramatique. In 1998 he staged and acted in Djelloul le résonneur by Alloula. He has also appeared in films by Maurice Failevic, Benoît Jacquot, and Hamid Krim. He made his directorial debut in 2001 with Jean-Farès.
Producer
Isabelle Madelaine/DHARAMSALA
Music
Mathias Duplessy
Director
Lyes Salem
Sound
Nisolas Provost, Pierre André
Screenwriter
Lyes Salem, Nathalie Saugeon
Director of Photography
Pierre Cottereau
Primary Cast
Lyes Salem, Sarah Reguieg, Mohamed Bouchaïb
* Rush Tickets available at venue except for
Beacon Theatre
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The Rush system functions as a standby line that will form at the venue approximately one hour prior to scheduled start time. Admittance is based on availability and will begin roughly 10 minutes prior to program start time. Rush Tickets are the same price as advance tickets and are payable upon entry.

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