Halima Ouardiri
Director | Screenwriter
Swiss – Moroccan writer / director Halima Ouardiri is a graduate of Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Montreal, Canada. Her first short-film MOKHTAR was acclaimed in a hundred international festivals such as Toronto, Berlin, Rotterdam and Dubai, before being broadcasted on various TV channels (France 3, CBC, TSR). The film won numerous Best Director Awards and Best Film Awards. It was shot on super-16mm in the remote countryside of Morocco near Agadir, starring local villagers, many goats, and an owl. Of all the cast, only the owl was trained as an actor. CLEBS, her new documentary shot in Morocco, will have its European premiere in the Generation Competition of the Berlinale 2020 after winning the Best Canadian Short-Film Award at FICFA 2019. Halima is now developing her first feature, THE CAMEL DRIVING SCHOOL, winner of the Groupe Ouest Annual Selection 2017 and produced by Indie Prod (France).
Filmography
The Camel Driving School
In writing
Feature film
Screenwriter and director
Les Patins
In development
Short film
Director and screenwriter
Les Films des autres
*Support from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec
Clebs
2019
Short film - Documentary | 18 minutes
Director and screenwriter
Production : La distributrice de films
Crystal Bear Awards (Best short film) - Berlin International Film Festival, 2020
Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury (Best short film) - Berlin International Film Festival 2020
Prix de la Vague (Best canadian short film) - Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie, 2019
Coup de coeur of the international jury at the Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur, Belgium 2020
Marion Hänsel Award - Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur, Belgique 2020
Jury Prize (Best international short) - Festival Tous Courts, 2020
Best documentary short – Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, 2020
Student Favourite Award - Cinéma sous les étoiles, 2020
Parce Que Films Award et Filmoption International & Studio Saint-Antoine Award -Gala Prends ça court, Québec 2020
Standout Short Film Director - Reelworld Film Festival, Ontario 2020
Best canadian short film - Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival, Ontario 2020
Short film Award - Fidadoc Agadir, Maroc 2019
FESTIVALS
Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM), 2019
Viennale 2020
Regard sur le court métrage, Chicoutimi, 2020
Carrousel international du Film de Rimouski, 2020
Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth, Vancouver, 2020
Vues sur Mer, Gaspé, Canada, 2020
Doxa Documentary Festival, Canada, 2020
Gimli Film Festival, Winnipeg, Canada, 2020
Les Percéides, Canada, 2020
Hong Kong International Film Festival, China, 2020
Les États généraux du film documentaire de Lussas, France, 2020
Young FilmFest, Czech Republic, 2020
Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Brazil, 2020
Off -Courts Trouville, France 2020
Courts d'un soir, Canada, 2020
International Film Festival Cinematik, Slovakia, 2020
Conofest International (short) Film Festival, 2020
Kaohsiung Film Festival, Taiwan, 2020
Bi'bak Film Festival, Germany, 2020
Hamilton Film Festival, Canada, 2020
Filem'On - International Film Festival for Young Audiences, Belgium, 2020
IDFA, Best of Fest, 2020
Bogotà Short Film Festival, 2020
Rencontres cinématographiques d’Aix en Provence, 2020
Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 2020
Festival Images en vue, 2020
30th Message to Man, 2020
Berberian Wedding
2013
Videoclip for Acid Arab
Screenwriter and director in collaboration with Louise Hémon
Versatile (Paris, France)
FESTIVALS
Festival Côté Court Paris, Experimental Competition – Essay – Art video
Mokhtar
2010
Short film | 16 minutes
Director and screenwriter
EyeSteelFilm
Jutra Awards (Nomination), Category « Best fiction short film », 2011
Jury Prize, Festival du Film Francophone de Namur, Belgium 2011
Prize of the public of the prison of Amiens - Festival de films international d'Amien
Spirafilm Award, Off Courts Trouville, 2011
Honorable Mention for Best Direction, Rhode Islande International Film Festival, 2011
TIFF Canada Top Ten
Special Jury Prize, Cinema Jove, Spain 2011
Audience Award (Best short) - Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec, 2011
Best Emerging Filmmaker Award & Best Multicultural Golden Sheaf Award, Festival du film de Yorkton, Canada 2011
TV Premio RTP Curta Onda Award, Festival du film CurtoCircuito, Spain 2011
Most Promising Canadian Short Film Director Award - Vancouver International Film Festival, 2011
Best short film, Pacific Meridian International Film Festival of Asia Pacific Countries, Russie 2011
Dubai International Film Festival - Nominated for the Muhr Arab Award (Short Film), 2011
Jury prize for young high school students, Panaroma des cinémas du Maghreb, 2011
Grand Prix of the City of Tetouan - Festival international du cinéma méditerranéen de Tétouan, 2010
Grand Prix national, Festival REGARD sur le court au Saguenay, 2011
Simplex Prize- Best fiction short film, Les Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, 2011
4 Prends ça court Awards : Spirafilm Prize for best short film, les Films Séville Prize, Air Canada Award, UDA Prize for the best male performance by the young actor Abdellah Ichiki, 2011 Murh Arab Short Award, Festival International du Film de Dubaï, 2011
TSR Award – Best internation short film, Cinéma Tous Écrans
FESTIVALS
Festival International de Rotterdam, 2011
International Berlin Film Festival, 2011
Hong Kong International Film Festival, 2011
Festival Cinéma Arabe, 2011
Dawson City International Short Film Festival, 2011
TIFF Top Ten, 2011
Glasgow International Short Film Festival, 2011
Breda International Film Festival, 2011
Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, 2011
Wairoa Maori International Film Festival, 2010
Samsung International Women's Film Festival, 2011
Les Rencontres de Béjaïa, 2011
World Premiere - Toronto International Film Festival, 2010
International Film Festival of Africa in Nigeria, 2010
Kurtzefilmtag Witherthur, 2011
Festival du Nouveau Cinema, 2011
Jury & Peer Committees
Jury - National Feature Film Competition at RIDM
2020
SODEC Fiction | Conseil des Arts du Canada
Festival CinéSud | FRANCE
2013
Journées cinématographiques of Alger
2012
Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM), International short and medium competition
2011
Education and Workshops
2020 - Héroïnes Workshop | La Scénaristerie
2019 - Regards sur l'Atlas (Camel Driving School) at the Ateliers de l'Atlas of the Marrakech International Festival
2018 - Cinétalents | Milles Visage (Paris, France)
2018 Talents – LA SÉLECTION 2018 | le Groupe Ouest & la Fondation Gan
2017 - Groupe Ouest | Annual selection
2016 - Grand Nord Workshop
2013 - Francophone Coproduction Meetings | Cinéma du Québec in Paris
2013 - Production Forum | Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur 2012 - TIFF PITCH THIS!
2012 - TIFF Mentorship Programme
2011 - TIFF Talent Lab
2009 - IDFA Summer School
2008 - SODEC Court écrire ton court! Grand Prix & Prix du Public for Mokhtar’s scénario
2008 - CTV Fellow at the Banff International Television Festival
2007 - Hotdocs KICKSTART | Toronto
2006 - Jump Start au CFTPA Prime Time | Ottawa
2001-2003 - B.F. A. Film production – Concordia University | Montréal, Québec
1998-2001 - B.A. Political Sciences – Université de Montréal | Montréal, Québec