Faraway(Lointain)

Egyptian-Canadian filmmaker Aziz Zoromba presents a gentle and restrained short film about family separation. Filming the daily life of a young Arab Montrealer over four seasons, Zoromba observes the loneliness created by exile and by ostracism within the family. Rejected because of his homosexuality, the protagonist tries to reconnect with his mother through tense, emotionally charged phone calls, or looks for connection elsewhere, with his chosen family. Through carefully crafted cinematography underlining the feeling of isolation, Zoromba chooses to say little about his subject, focusing instead on the feelings revealed by his facial expressions and tone of voice. The result is a masterful use of elliptical narrative and revealing details.