Synopsis

Director Ahmed El Maanouni’s 1981 music documentary, Trances was chosen for restoration in 2007 by the Martin Scorsese headed Cannes Film Festival’s World Cinema Foundation. Now he returns with his latest work, Burned Hearts, a memorable piece that uses Moroccan traditional music throughout the film. Young architect, Amin, who lives in Paris, returns to Fès in Morocco when he receives the news that his uncle was seriously ill. Since he left his hometown ten years ago, he has lost touch with his uncle, who literally raised him. When he finally meets his dying uncle, he is haunted by his painful childhood rather than feeling compassion for the man lying in front of him. An old friend and craftsman, Aziz, advises him not to surrender to the resentment of the past, but even his uncle’s death cannot appease his anger. He has no choice but to look inside his soul to find the answer. Known for his films exploring Morocco’s past and present, the director Ahmed El Maanouni highlights the various conflicts that permeate contemporary Moroccan society in this film. As Amin’s past and present collide, the old city of Fès too undergoes problems as traditional values clash with new ones. Along with the traditional Moroccan music that runs throughout the film, the outstanding images of Fès are presented in black and white, an intentional choice made by the director so that the visuals do not overpower the film’s narrative. (Chung Woochung)

Director

• 
  • Ahmed El Maanouni
  • Born in Casablanca in 1944, Ahmed El Maanouni is currently active as a writer, director, cinematographer, and producer. He studied film at the Sorbonne in Paris, theater at the International Theatre University, and received a degree from the Brussels National Broadcasting School. He is a founding member of the Arab Directors Association in France, as well as the Moroccan Directors and Producers Associations. He also serves as the European representative for the Moroccan Film Producers Association. El Maanouni is internationally recognized for his works that explore Morocco’s past and present. His notable works include Those Days (1978), Trances (1982), Moroccan Army (1993), The Life of Mohammed V (2000), the three-part documentary Morocco-France, A Common History (2006), and Conversation with Driss Kribi (2007). His 1982 work, Trances, a documentary about Moroccan music, was selected for restoration by the World Cinema Foundation, established by Martin Scorsese at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.