Trances
The groundbreaking Moroccan band Nass El Ghiwane is the dynamic subject of this captivating, one-of-a-kind documentary by Ahmed El Maanouni, who filmed the four musicians during a series of electrifying live performances in Tunisia, Morocco, and France; on the streets of Casablanca; and in intimate conversations. Storytellers through song and traditional instruments, and with connections to political theater, the band became a local phenomenon and an international sensation, thanks to its rebellious lyrics and sublime, fully acoustic sound, which draws on Berber rhythms, Malhun sung poetry, and Gnawa dances. Both a concert movie and a free-form audiovisual experiment, bolstered by images of the band’s rapt audience, Trances is pure cinematic poetry.
Trances was restored in 2007 by the Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory, in association with The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project, Ahmed El Maanouni, and Izza Génini. Restoration funded by Armani, Cartier, Qatar Airways, and Qatar Museum Authority.
Director-Approved Blu-ray Special Edition Features
- 2K digital restoration by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Cineteca di Bologna with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Introduction from 2013 by The Film Foundation’s founder and chair, Martin Scorsese
- Interview program from 2013 featuring director Ahmed El Maanouni, producer Izza Génini, musician Omar Sayed, and Scorsese
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Sally Shafto
New cover by Tawfi Dawi/Hey Porter !
Collector's Sets
Collector's Set
Director-Approved Blu-ray Special Edition Features
- 2K digital restoration by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Cineteca di Bologna with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Introduction from 2013 by The Film Foundation’s founder and chair, Martin Scorsese
- Interview program from 2013 featuring director Ahmed El Maanouni, producer Izza Génini, musician Omar Sayed, and Scorsese
- PLUS: An essay by film scholar Sally Shafto
New cover by Tawfi Dawi/Hey Porter !
Cast
- Omar Sayed
- Nass El Ghiwane musicians
- Larbi Batma
- Abderrahman ”Paco“ Kirouche
- Allal Yaala
Credits
- Director
- Ahmed El Maanouni
- Produced by
- Izza Génini
- Souheil Ben Barka
- Screenplay by
- Ahmed El Maanouni
- Cinematography
- Ahmed El Maanouni
- Editor
- Jean-Claude Bonfanti
- Music by
- Nass El Ghiwane
- Sound recordist
- Ricardo Castro
A scene from Trances
