The feature debut by the Oscar-nominated Tunisian-Canadian filmmaker is a cinematic painting, an ode to her ‘Brotherhood’ stars who were not given a visa to travel to the Berlinale. An injustice that seemed to go unnoticed in the midst of all the festival drama.
Meryam Joobeur’s Who Do I Belong To (in Arabic ‘Mé el Aïn’) is one of the titles I was most looking forward to viewing at this year’s Berlinale. The film has been on my radar since, well, for as long as I can remember. But let’s say the spark of that desire happened in Doha, during the 2023 edition of Qumra, when I got to mentor her producers, including the multi-Oscar nominated Nadim Cheikhrouha. Then, it was again at this year’s Marrakech International Film Festival, participating and winning the Atlas Workshops top prize for a post-production project.
A cinematic painting, and I didn’t come up with the term as a friend who is also the head of a major film fund called Joobeur “a painter” during a lunch we had at Berlinale, Who Do I Belong To paints a picture of those left behind by the bad decisions of those who go astray. The mystical Aïcha (Salha Nasraoui) lives on a farm in northern Tunisia with her husband Brahim (Mohamed Hassine Grayaa) and youngest son Adam (Rayen Mechergui). She longs for her two older sons, who went off to war. But one, Mehdi (Malek Mechergui) seems to have returned, with a mysterious bride in tow. The only things we know about Reem (Dea Liane) is that she wears a niqab, she doesn’t speak, she is pregnant and her eyes are a deep, unsettling shade of green. As strange things begin happening around the village, Joobeur has us questioning our understanding of what is going on, while also playing with our allegiances. It’s no wonder that catching up with her person turned out to be a wondrous interview, filled with emotions. We ended up crying together, in a side room designated for press, inside the Grand Hyatt in Berlin.
Conspicuously missing from the gala premiere were the Mechergui brothers, those exquisite looking young men, Malek, Rayen and Chaker who are at the center of Joobeur’s film.
Read on to understand why.
From Left: Adam Bessa, Mohamed Hassine Grayaa, Salha Nasraoui and Meryam Joobeur in Berlin
Well, this film is sort of inspired by Brotherhood in the sense that you have these actors who possess this striking look and whom you've used for your Oscar nominated film and you now use in this film. Can you talk about how you came upon these, you know, stunning human beings?
Meryam Joobeur: Stunning human beings and also incredible actors. And it was all, like, by chance. So in 2017, I was doing a road trip with my cinematographer Vincent [Gonneville], and we were driving through the north of Tunisia just to get inspired. And one day we just met the two oldest, Malek and Chaker by the side of the road. We asked to take their photo they said no, it was like a two minute interaction, like very quick — strange, it's hard to explain, and now when I look back, it seems a bit crazy. But from that moment or that encounter, I couldn't stop thinking about them. What struck me, I think, is that I saw a bit of a kinship in them in the sense that both of my parents are Tunisian, and all my life people have been telling me I don't look Tunisian. So when I saw them, I was like, ‘Oh, they're kind of a bit like me’ — they don't look like the stereotypical respective of what the Western world thinks Muslims or Arabs look like. I felt immediate kinship to them. And instinctively I just wrote the script for Brotherhood.
And yet, they didn’t even want to photographed!
Joobeur: The crazy part of the story is when I wrote that script, which happened very quickly, I wrote a role for a younger brother that I didn't know existed. I thought I’ve have to cast this younger brother who was six years old.
So how did you find them again, and discover the younger brother already existed?
Joobeur: A year later, when I told Vincent, I shared with him the script, he loved it. I told him, can we go look for them? He said yes. So when we went looking, we didn't know their names. We didn't know anything. It was like a comedic story, and then when we luckily finally found them the first one who came out of the house was Rayen, the youngest, six year old. And I was shocked because it's almost like the script had manifested him, you know? And so, luckily, they agreed to act in the film. And then, through our collaboration and especially on the feature, because we did two years of theater workshops with them, I mean, they've transformed into incredible actors.
Do you believe in magic?
Joobeur: Of course! For me, there was a before and after, for sure in my life — before meeting them and after. Oh God, you’re going to make me emotional. Because actually, right now, we're struggling to get the visas for them. So it's kind of painful for me that the two people that inspired this seven year journey, it's difficult to bring them, so it's hard. But for me, there is definitely a before and after. This visa thing is so unjust.
But yeah, I believe in magic, and I believe in the power of intuition because this was a crazy idea, and this crazy idea led to so much.
What inspired the title change, as this was known as Motherhood forever, while a work in progress?
Joobeur: That was a very important change for me because when I started editing the film, I started to realize why I did this film. And the reason why I did this film was exploring this question of who does my life belong to? And I realized that was the heart of the film, and it actually helped me a lot in the editing of the film. And I felt I wanted the title to reflect the film itself. And I like the idea that the title is a question as well, because it's open, and it's inviting and you could have an answer. Somebody else could have another answer, and it's personal. Whereas I felt like Motherhood was the journey in a way, this film felt like a massive birth. But it's constrictive, it's a statement that's closed. And it just didn't feel like it reflected what the heart of the film was anymore. So I decided to change it. And I'm really happy I did.
Personally, I viewed the film very differently with this new title. I didn’t concentrate on the mother, Aïcha, but saw all the characters.
Joobeur: I think that's exactly it. I felt like the film was much more of an ensemble piece and the perspectives the mother is the backbone, let's say of the film, but the perspectives of the other members of the family and extended family brought a richness that I felt like I wanted, like you said the audience to be able to receive you know — an invitation to reflect on what every other character brings to the story.
It's amazing to me that even with the Berlinale behind this, they can’t arrange a visa but it speaks to the sort of European — and sorry to say this — Islamophobia, even though you know, these brothers are as far away from the sort of Islamic fundamentalist that they're trying to keep out.
Joobeur: I think this whole situation makes me reflect. I’ve already had family members deal with it. I think there is a lack of understanding in the Western world on the reality of visas, and even how visas work and also the immense injustice of visas because you know, the visa process is pretty humiliating. And also imagine, when you apply for a visa, you actually have to show proof that you've booked your hotel and flight. If you don't get the visa, you lose that money. So think about it. There's already a massive exchange rate from the Tunisian Dinar to the Euro. Also, the average salary in Tunisia is not that high, so you save up for months to do a trip. And then there's the potential of you just losing all that money.
On top of that, the injustice of not being able to be in big moments of your life like this — as in terms of platform for an actor, having a film in competition at Berlinale is the pinnacle.
I feel like they are treated like subhumans. I mean, the simplest example I have is, my dog is able to travel and I brought my dog easily to Germany, but I can't bring my actors. So this is like a very unjust thing that's going on.
I imagine that the film was a bit difficult to pitch, particularly in the Arab world, as it more than implies the presence of Daesh (ISIS)?
Joobeur: Honestly, all the organizations were very supportive of the film. And I think because of the way the film approaches it, these themes are pretty universal. And it's not really about the topic of Daesh. It's about the roots of extremism in general. And so the institutions, luckily, all institutions were really excited about the film, which was great. I approach filmmaking from a very personal and even, I guess, spiritual journey type of an experience.
What was challenging was actually carrying a story this complex for five years. And you know, carrying the journeys of my characters which are very challenging and seeing it reflected in my own life. I evolved, I transformed because it was challenging, my life has completely changed because of it. It was both challenging, but also the most profound experience I ever had.
What's your wish for the film now? We know what your wish is for the red carpet, but what is your wish for the film after Berlin?
Joobeur: After Berlin? Honestly, what I'm deeply yearning for is that moment when I can share it with my loved ones and people and see what their reactions are. My hope is that it opens up an interesting conversation. It opens up hearts, definitely. And that people can see their own lives reflected in that family. That's my hope. You know, for five years making this, at times just felt very lonely. So it would be nice to be able to share it in a communal setting.