French-Moroccan-Polish co-production is a wrap

The shooting in Poland has just wrapped for the documentary The Director’s Chair, Mostafa Derkaoui, directed by Sophie Delvallée and co-produced by Entertain Pictures.

The leading producer is French studio Kaléo Films, the movie is co-produced by Abel Aflam and SOREAD-2M from Morocco and Polish company Entertain Pictures. It is also supported by CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée) and the Polish Film Institute. The shooting took place mainly in Łódź, Poland.

The Director’s Chair, Mostafa Derkaoui

The Moroccan filmmaker, Mostafa Derkaoui, is starting to work again after being on sick leave for the past 10 years. Today, he is wheelchair-bound, aging, isolated, penniless, and as recognized as he is forgotten. Yet Mostafa is determined to make his passion project, which he knows will be his last. As he fights for his film, a small group of cinephiles are starting to restore his legendary films. Their search for scattered originals will allow Mostafa to revisit his work. It will take him all the way back to his student films, which he will have to look for in Poland, at the famous film school in Lodz.

“I immediately knew I wanted to be involved in this project because of the unique figure of the film’s main character. Despite his old age and suffering, the director uncompromisingly pursues his greatest passion. His huge will to live, optimism and twinkle in his eyes are contagious and brings to mind the glory days of the city of fimmakers” says Małgorzata Wabińska, the Polish co-producer of the movie.

The film is scheduled to be ready for delivery at the end of 2017.