Amal, the daughter of Moroccan farmers, dreams of becoming a doctor, but her parents may have decided otherwise… In New York, libertine artist Zoe stumbles through metaphysical chaos... Lena, a ticket-inspector in Berlin, takes revenge when she gets fired... In the French countryside, Lea has prepared a controversial gift for her girlfriend's birthday… Planning to emigrate with her fiancé, a young Mexican woman leaves her family, ending up alone in the streets where she decides to become a public writer…

Seven contemporary stories, seven dynamic and unique women, all breaking free from the moral order.


Concept
"Women Interrupted" is a feature film pioneering a new genre, with both modern and international ambitions.

Composed of seven short films carefully selected for their cinematic quality and thematic progression, the project depicts a cultural, emotional and philosophical journey through the experiences of each section's dynamic, contemporary character.

More than just a compilation, the idea behind the film is to draw inspiration from the innovation and insights into real life that auteur cinema offers its audiences, thus creating a true cinematic oeuvre around universal emotions.

"Women Interrupted" is the first in a series called "A collection of short stories of our times", based on an idea by young French producer, Karine Allenbach. Her production company, Ursa Minor Films, is already developing a second film using the same concept entitled "Golden Cities", which explores urban themes.


Duration: 100 minutes
Formats: 35mm / HD digital
Genre: Anthology Film

Directed by:
Ali Benkirane (Morocco)
Julian West (USA)
Natasja Andre De La Porte (Netherlands)
Burhan Qurbani (Germany)
Stéphane Lapointe (Canada)
Renaud Ducoing (France)
Iria Gomez Concheiro (Mexico)

Concept: Karine Allenbach

Executive Producer: Ursa Minor Films, Paris (France)
Associate Producers: Divine Productions (France), Agora (Morocco), Locomotion Films (Canada), Volya Films (Netherlands), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (Germany), Acre Films (USA), Mac Guffin Film production (USA), Andésite Production (France), Ciudad Films(Mexico), Centro de Capacitacion de Cinematografia (Mexico)

Cast:
Jessica James, Best Actress award: Hollyshorts (USA)
Soumaya Chifa, Best Actress award: Oh ce court! (Belgium)
Suzanne Clément, Anne Ratte-Polle, Katia O'WAllis, Marion Monier, Miriam Balderas, Eva Van der Gucht


FESTIVALS AWARDS
Other major awards collected at short film festivals:
Golden medal: Cinevif, France 2007 (Renaud Ducoing)
Audience prize: Festival de Ventabren, France 2007 (Renaud Ducoing)
City prize: Rencontres du court-métrage de Cabestany, France 2008 (Renaud Ducoing)
Audience prize: Festival Tout Court d'Aix en Provence, France 2006 (Ali Benkirane)
Youth prize: FASILD, Cinemed France 2005 (Ali Benkirane)
Intercultural communication prize: Vues d'Afrique, Canada 2006 (Ali Benkirane)
Jury prize: Tetouan, Maroc 2005 (Ali Benkirane)
Spirit Award: Brooklyn International Film Festival, USA 2005 (Ali Benkirane)
SIGNIS Prize and Best Short Film Prize: Rencontres Cinémas d'Amérique Latine de Toulouse, France 2006 (Iria Gomez Concheiro)
Best photography: Exprecionencorto International Film Festival, Mexique 2006 (Iria Gomez Concheiro)
Best Short Film Prize: Meridian Pacific Film Festival, Russia 2006 (Iria Gomez Concheiro)
Genie Award, Canada 2002 (Stéphane Lapointe)
Jury Award: Hamburg International Short Film Festival, Germany 2008 (Burhan Qurbani)

Title song by Lhasa De Sela.

Distribution
Built on an innovative model of international co-production between seven different countries, "Women Interrupted" will initially be distributed in Canada by Locomotion Films - also a co-producer of the project.

Ursa Minor Films has taken the initiative to seek post-production and digital projection partners for the completion and theatrical distribution of the feature ‘Women Interrupted'.

The Ursa Minor Films team will be at Cannes this year to meet other distributors interested by the film, starting with the countries whose languages are represented within the film (English, French, Spanish, German, Arabic). Distributors from France - the film's country of origin - will be of particular interest.

We are very glad to announce the selection of WOMEN INTERRUPTED at the 38th edition of the Festival du Nouveau Cinema of Montreal. The official screening will take place at 17 pm the 10th of October at the big Cinema Imperial Theater. A cocktail organized by the WIFT (Women in Film and Television) of Montreal will follow the screening.