Films in shooting or post-production
Trip to Jerusalem
Synopsis
Lebanon, World War II. Matile, a mother of 11, is preparing a memorial lunch for her late husband—with none other than the Patriarch of Antioch and all the Orient attending. Just then, the French Army decides to seize her home to build a military spa. Through a chain of absurd events, Matile ends up imposing her own laws on both the French General and the Patriarch, turning tradition—and authority—upside down.
Julien Kai
Sébastien Leclercq
Laure Challita
madame le tapis (Liban)
Michel Zarazir & Gaby Zarazir
Director’s statement
Rooted in our own ties with the clergy and inspired by our great-grandmother, this film dares to do what is considered rare in the Arab world: it uses humor to examine the untouchable. Not only does it challenge the idea of grasping religious leaders as humans but it also debates women’s place in society. After all, everyone follows their mother’s orders!
Biographies
The Zarazir Brothers are a dynamic Lebanese filmmaking duo whose cinema mocks the most serious things. They write and direct collaboratively. Their personal ambitions are just as bold: Gaby aims to live 140 years; Michel hopes to be elected Pope. Holding master’s degrees in cinema, they have participated in the Film Independent Film Lab, the IFFR Rotterdam Lab, the American Film Showcase, and the Berlin Artist-in-Residence program, among other labs. Their films have been sold to Cabal+, Movistar Plus+, and OSN, and have screened at festivals including SXSW, Palm Springs, and Red Sea International Film Festivals, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and the Carthage Film Festival.
The Zarazir Brothers are the producers and filmmakers behind madame le tapis, a film boutique based in Lebanon. They develop and produce multimedia projects across diverse art forms, from fiction features and documentaries to short films, television, and web series. Committed to sustainability, the team works to minimize the environmental impact of every production while upholding the highest creative standards.
Fonds Image de la Francophonie, Red Sea Souk, Lebanese Film Fund, Film Independent
2026
