Rabat – Renowned director and screenwriter Jerome Cohen-Olivar is making waves once again with his latest project, “Autisto,” set to be his most personal film to date.
The announcement comes alongside news of co-producers Zhor Fassi-Fihri, known for her work on The Moderator, and Amine Bensouda from Olivar Films, joining forces to bring this poignant narrative to life.
Autisto revolves around the daily struggles of a mother grappling with her adolescent son’s severe autism. As she refuses to accept the reality of her child’s condition, she embarks on a relentless journey to ensure her son’s integration into society.
However, a chance encounter between the teenager and a cemetery caretaker sets off a chain of events that will reshape both their lives.
The film aims to provoke reflection and empathy, shedding light on the challenges faced by families impacted by autism, the director explained in a statement.
The themes of the movie are highly relevant to Morocco, where the representation of such realities in cinema remains limited, he added.
Cohen-Olivar’s return to the director’s chair marks a significant moment in his career, as he channels his art and personal experiences into Autisto.
To produce the movie, Cohen-Olivar collaborated with Fassi-Fihri, whose directorial work includes The Moderator. Production is slated to commence in June, spanning a six-week period.
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Born in 1964, Olivar is a Moroccan-French film director best known for Kandisha (2008), a fantasy film inspired by the Moroccan myth of Aicha Kandicha.
The director spent much of his childhood in Morocco, where he began his filmmaking journey by creating movies using super 8mm film.
He later relocated to Los Angeles. His debut short film, Susan Susan, dealt with the theme of clandestine immigration to the United States and was acquired by Disney for around $300,000.
One of his other known works is The Midnight Orchestra, a comedic film centered on a man’s quest to resurrect his father’s orchestra in Morocco, which explored the emigration experiences of Jews from the country.
The film received critical acclaim, most notably winning the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the 2015 Montreal World Film Festival.
