Markers: Films that push the boundaries of the documentary form
This collaboration between French-Malagasy director Maéva Ranaïvojaona and Austrian filmmaker Georg Tiller is a work of such originality, it defies even the label of magic realism. A haunting, free-flowing blend of fiction and documentary, Zaho Zay unfolds in two universes: the gritty reality of an overcrowded prison in Madagascar, and the fantasies of a young female guard daydreaming about the murderous father who abandoned her as a child. In her imagination, the killer wanders the countryside and rolls enchanted dice to decide the fate of his victims. Evocative of westerns and film noir, these dreamlike sequences are accompanied by a vivid poetic voiceover written by Malagasy author Jean-Luc Raharimanana. As the daughter finally gets news of the lost mythical figure, her visions turn to nightmares. The two realms merge, reviving the collective traumas of an island marked by its colonial past and continuous violence. Charlotte Selb
This event has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.
MEDIA COVERAGE
- POV Magazine - A Family Story, Complete with Murder and Dice