Condemned to a life away from the sun, Fatimazahra lived at night with her community, the “Children of the Moon.” After her passing, her sister Meriem carries forward her dreams, creating a refuge in Rabat, nurturing a close-knit community, and venturing into the polar nights of Norway’s Lofoten Islands, to carry her sister’s soul toward a land without sunlight. Asmae El Moudir’s film celebrates a modern-day heroine in a story both intimate and collective.
Status
Development
About the Filmmakers
Director/Producer
Asmae El Moudir
Asmae El Moudir is a Moroccan filmmaker,producer and screenwriter who studied at La Fémis in Paris. Asmae has directed several award-winning short films. The Mother of All Lies is her first theatrical documentary feature, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Directing Prize in the Un Certain Regard section as well as the Golden Eye for Best Documentary. The film was also shortlisted in the International Feature section of the Oscars and screened at TIFF and Sundance. Asmae was nominated for the PGA Award and the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary. Recently, she won the IDA Award for Best Director. In 2024, she was named a member of the Un Certain Regard jury at Cannes, headed by Xavier Dolan and IDFA jury for International compétition.
Producer
Emma Lepers
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After founding the independent French documentary production company Petit Dragon in 2005, Emma Lepers partnered with Carole Scotta, founder of Haut et Court (est. 1992), to establish Haut et Court Doc in 2020. Since its inception, the company has focused on developing and producing contemporary and unconventional films by talented, passionate directors, earning numerous awards at festivals worldwide. Emma has established herself as a leading figure in contemporary documentary cinema. Among Haut et Court Doc’s feature-length films are several standout titles that reflect its commitment to artistic innovation and cultural resonance, including The Beauty of the Donkey by Dea Gjinovci (Zurich, Chicago, and Ji.hlava Film Festivals, 2025), I Am Martin Parr by Lee Shulman (World Premiere – Rome Film Festival 2025), Such a Resounding Silence co-directed by Emmanuelle Béart and Anastasia Mikova (Hot Docs, Turin, Shanghai, FIPADOC), Christophe… Définitivement by Dominique Gonzales-Foerster and Ange Leccia (World Premiere – Cannes Film Festival 2022, Official Selection), and Maria by Callas by Tom Volf (screened at more than 20 international festivals in 2017, including Toronto and New York, and acquired by Sony Classics for U.S. distribution). Haut et Court Doc has also explored innovative formats, notably in multi-awarded series, and is currently developing around fifteen documentaries, including several international co-productions.