Salim

Salim faces a psychiatrist in France and a brutal policeman in Syria—two encounters bound by a common struggle: his inability to speak.

Short Synopsis
The film follows Salim, a political refugee and former detainee who has fled to France. During a therapy session, he is forced to relive a traumatizing episode from his imprisonment, revealing the lingering scars of his past.

Writer and Director Zain Bouch
Cast Fares Helou & Bernard Tiélès
Assistant director and script supervisor Eleonor Walter
Director of Photography Kallamon Bouvier
Key Grip Maxime Roy
Production Design Gabrielle Jossaud
Production Design Assistant Valentin Bougé
Sound Engineer Hongli Wang
Editor Caspar Leeb
Location Manager Anca Badea
Make-up Artist Julie Esterle
Animal Wrangler Pascale Jossaud

Minutes

2022

Release

Production

France

Bio – Filmography

I am Zain Bouch, a film director and screenwriter, originally from Syria, who arrived in France after being forced into exile at the age of 17. My journey to France has deepened my commitment to combating oppression in my homeland while steadfastly preserving my cultural identity through cinematic expression.

I graduated in Cinema and Audiovisual Studies from the University of Sorbonne-Nouvelle and hold a Master’s degree in Directing, Screenwriting, and Production from Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

During my studies, I wrote and directed a short film, *Salim*, that won Best Screenplay and Audience Prize at the Objectif Censier festival and was selected in multiple other festivals in France.