DIRECTOR’S NOTE

SIMO is a personal exploration of teenage-hood. It is an intimate look into an immigrant family’s resilience and the power they hold when united. I wanted to reconnect with the elements that defined that period for me: music, video-games & football — each representing alternative outlooks on masculinity & our attachment to our cultural heritage. The film dives into the repercussions of growing up with the labels that coincide with being an Arab in the West, whilst also being a celebration of Egyptian culture, emphasized by its all-Egyptian cast.

SYNOPSIS

The usual rivalries and jealousies that exist between the two Egyptian teenage brothers Simo and Emad reaches dangerous heights that may seriously impact the future of their family.

Short Film – Québec – 2022 – 23 min - Color | French and Arabic with English subtitles | 1.85 | 5.1

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TRAILER

Featuring an all-Egyptian cast, with riveting performances from leads Basel and Seif El Rayes, director Aziz Zoromba’s SIMO is a slick, fast-paced and affecting study of adolescent masculinity, fraternal feuds and resilience.

— Melbourne International Film Festival

SELECTIONS AND AWARDS

  • Festivals

  • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), September 2022 (Toronto, Canada)

  • BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD / PRIX DU MEILLEUR COURT MÉTRAGE CANADIEN Oscar-qualifying Award

  • Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC), October 2022 (Montréal)

  • PRIX DU PUBLIC / AUDIENCE AWARD

  • Whistler Film Festival, November - December 2022 (Canada)

  • Festival International du cinéma francophone en Acadie, November 2022 (Canada)

  • South Western International Film Festival, November 2022

  • PRIX DU PUBLIC / AUDIENCE AWARD

  • Sundance Film Festival, January 2023 (USA)

  • BERLINALE Generation, February 2023 (Germany)

  • Psarokokalo International Short Film Festival, 2023 (Greece)

  • Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ Film Festival, February 2023 (Québec, Northwest Territories)

  • Festival Carrousel de Rimouski, March 2023 (Québec)

  • Aspen ShortFest, April 2023 (USA)

  • Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma (RVQC), February-March 2023 (Montréal, QC)

  • Festival REGARD, March 2023 (Saguenay, Québec)

  • MENTION SPÉCIALE - COMPÉTITION MEILLEUR FILM JEUNESSE /  SPECIAL MENTION - YOUTH COMPETITION

  • Reel2Reel Vancouver, March-April 2023 (Canada)

  • Filmfest Dresden, April 2023 (Germany)

  • International Film Festival of Ottawa, March 2023 (Canada)

  • Festival de Cinéma Vues d’Afrique, April 2023 (Montréal, QC)

  • REGARD D’ICI AWARD

  • The Corner Seats International Film Festival, April 2023 (India)

  • Norwegian Short Film Festival, June 2023 (Norway)

  • Zawya Shorts, May 2023 (Cairo, Egypt)

  • AUDIENCE AWARD *BEST FILM AWARD

  • Palm Springs ShortFest, June 2023 (California, USA)

  • Cinema Jove - Valencia International Film Festival, June-July 2023 (Spain)

  • Durban International Film Festival, July 2023 (South Africa)

  • New Directors New Films, June 2023 (Portugal)

  • Toronto Arab Film Festival, June 2023 (Canada)

  • QAYQUB JURY PRIZE WINNER

  • HONORABLE MENTION - YAMAMA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM

  • CineFest Miskolc, Septembre 2023 (Hongrie)

  • Festival du film de Knowlton, Septembre 2023 (Québec)

  • PREMIER PRIX DU JURY

  • Melbourne International Film Festival, Août 2023 (Australie)

  • Galway Film Fleadh, Juillet 2023 (Ireland) (UK)

  • Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec (FCVQ), Septembre 2023 (Québec)

  • Filmoramax, Septembre 2023 (Lyon, France)

  • HollyShorts Film Festival, Août 2023 (Canada)

  • Off-Courts Trouville, Septembre 2023 (France)

  • Twin Cities Arab Film Festival, September 2023 (USA)

  • Sarajevo Film Festival, Août 2023 (Bosnie)

  • Le Cri du Court, Octobre 2023 (France)

  • Prix scolaire lycée et mission locale

  • Cinemagic Belfast, Octobre 2023 (UK)

  • Arab Film Festival, Novembre 2023 (San Francisco)

  • CineKid Festival, Octobre 2023 (Netherlands)

  • CUT TO : GENT Short Film Festival, Septembre 2023 (Belgique)

  • KUKI Film Festival (Interfilm Berlin), Novembre 2023 (Allemagne) 

  • Durham Region International Film Festival, Octobre 2023 (Canada)

  • BEST CANADIAN SHORT AWARD

  • Tehran International Short Film Festival, October 2023 (Iran)

  • International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, Octobre 2023 (Chypre)

  • HONORARY MENTION - INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

  • Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, November 2023 (USA)

  • Beirut Shorts Film Festival, November 2023 (Lebanon)

  • Anchorage International Film Festival, December 2023 (Alaska, USA)

  • Izmir International Short Film Festival, November 2023 (Turkey)

  • Plein(s) Écran(s), Janvier 2024

  • GRAND PRIX

  • InFocus : Arab Cinema, 2023 - Postponed

  • Sapporo International Short Film Festival & Market, November 2023 (Japan) 

  • Sharjah Film Platform, December 2023 (Sharjah)

  • Imedghassen Film Festival, May 2024 (Algeria)

  • FILMETS Badalona, Octobre 2024 (Barcelone)

  • Muslim International Film Festival, Mai 2024

  • Galas, Markets, etc.


    Canadian Screen Awards, 2023

  • WINNER of BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM - Oscar-qualifying Award

  • Gala Iris, Québec Cinéma, 2023

  • BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT NOMINATION

  • Canada’s TOP TEN (TIFF), January 2023

  • Vimeo

  • BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM at SUNDANCE 2023(unofficial award)

  • Young Directors Award

  • GOLDEN SCREEN WINNER SHORTS 10 MINUTES PLUS

  • Prends Ça Court! Gala, March 2023 

    *PRIX COUP DE COEUR DE DENIS VILLENEUVE / DENIS VILLENEUVE’S FAVOURITE SHORT AWARD 

    *PRIX GRANDÉ STUDIOS / GRANDE STUDIO AWARD 

    *PRIX CHASSEUR FILMS / CHASSEUR FILMS AWARD 

    *PRIX ROMEO / ROMEO AWARD 

    *PRIX MAX MÉDIA FILMS / MAX MEDIA FILMS AWARDS 

    *PRIX COLONELLE FILMS - DIRECTION PHOTO / COLONELLE FILMS AWARD - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY  

    *PRIX DISTILLERIE DU QUAI / DISTILLERIE DU QUAI AWARD 

  • *PRIX RAY-ON / RAY-ON AWARD

  • Screening at IFFR Rotterdam - Education program

    Tournée 25 ans Prends ça court ! - Show me Shorts, 2024

    Tournée 25 ans Prends ça court ! - Cinémathèque de Montevideo en Uruguay, Avril 2024 (Uruguay)

    Tournée 25 ans Prends ça court ! - Madagascourt Film Festival, Avril 2024 (Uruguay) 

CAST AND CREW

Written and directed by AZIZ ZOROMBA

Produced by ROSALIE CHICOINE PERREAULT

Starring BASEL EL RAYES, SEIF EL RAYES, ALADEEN TAWFEEK

Cinematography ALEXANDRE NOUR

Production design KENNY DORVIL, REBECCA DORY

Editing OMAR ELHAMY, AZIZ ZOROMBA

Sound design and original score ILYAA GHAFOURI

Sound mix GAVIN FERNANDES

VFX OLIVIER MASSON


BEHIND THE SCENES

Captured by Romain Rabasa

THE PLAYLIST

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FARAWAY (2020)