The Way Out by Samia Maskaldji (Algeria/France 37 minnutes, 35mm)

Synopsis:
Unmarried Leila, a young Algerian woman, passes time with her son, Nabil, by playing guessing games on the beach in their small French town. But their peaceful way of life slowly unravels as Leila sinks into a depression as mysterious as the sea that surrounds them. The playful "Who are you?" becomes a question that hangs with growing uncertainty between mother and son.
In French with English subtitles.

Post-screening panel discussion with Rabab Abdulhadi (NYU), Laura Bier (NYU) and Anahid Kassabian (Fordham University). Program co-presented by the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, NYU

Biography:
Samia Meskaldji emerged as a writer/director with the debut of her play Lord Jim, Anywhere Out Of The World in Orleans, France in 1996. Since that time, she has written screenplays for such films as Us, the Others, the feature film The Moon’s Wood and a documentary about international adoption. She has written and directed a number of films, including The Way Out (2000) and the documentary The Other Questionnaire (1998). Samia Meskaldji’s work has received numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the Cinematographic Encounters of Digne in France for The Way Out.

Festivals & Awards:
Digne-Les-Bains Festival, Jury And Public audience prize, 2000
Odysséedocs, Marseille Museum of Contemporary Art, 2002
Sainte-Affrique, Venice, 2002
Saint-Paul les Trois Châteaux, 2002
Mediterranean Cinema Festival of Montpellier, France, 2002
Cinéma en Régions -Vendôme, Aix-en-Provence, France 2002
Rio de Janeiro Film Festival, 2002
Biennial of Arabic Cinema, Arab World Institute, Paris, 2002, in competition
Arab Film Festival of Fameck, 2002
Carthage Film Festival, 2002
Namur Film Festival, 2002
Tanger Film Festival, Morocco, 2002
Angers Film Festival, 2001
Lille Film Festival, 2001
French-speaking films in Vienna, 2001