Atlas Close-Ups
Into the Blue Night
Synopsis
Sana, a 58-year-old Montrealer, learns she has an unknown, unnamed, probably incurable disease. Offered treatment that is as vague as it is uncertain, she decides—under the influence of her older sister—to return to southern Morocco to undergo an ancestral ritual with a young, mysterious Gnawa musician in her native land. Not knowing for sure whether she is actually seeking a cure, together with Aya, her 24-year-old daughter, Sana embarks on a road trip that takes them on a tumultuous and overwhelming journey of initiation that may prove to be their last journey together.
Parce Que Films (Canada)
Cynthia Mateu & David Pierrat
Director’s statement
Imbued with touches of derision and poetry, Into the Blue Night explores themes of apprehension and the fiery embrace of death, as well as filial bonds and transmission. I see this film as a magical odyssey that reveals, without sentimentality, the power of the unknown. It is a journey that gives meaning to the universal feelings we experience when faced with the—sometimes premature—death of loved ones, and helps us move toward accepting the impermanence of our lives.
Biographies
A French-Canadian-Amazigh-Moroccan filmmaker, Halima Elkhatabi trained at the Institut national de l’Image et du Son in Montreal. Her work is part of a creative approach that combines intimate storytelling, formal exploration, and social commentary. Her films have been screened at numerous festivals, among them the Berlin and Toronto International Film Festivals and Visions du réel. Also active in audio documentaries, she is the author of La Route du bled for Arte radio, which she is currently adapting into an animated film.
Parce Que Films is a Montreal-based production company that has been active for over 20 years. It stands out for the diversity of its projects and has won numerous awards for its films. Cynthia Mateu is an experienced and versatile producer. Multilingual and multidisciplinary, she has overseen numerous productions in Canada and worldwide. She is currently developing two feature-length films and several shorts.
May 2027 (Canada, Maroc)
Marh 2028
