CM 2022

Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel - writing grant

RTBF - development fund

Orange - writing grant 

Beaumarchais - SACD - writing grant

Life Ahead

La vie devant nous

Goals at CineMart We are looking for co-production partners in European countries, and for arthouse distributors, broadcasters and 
sale agents.
Based on the topic (the experiences of migrant youth in 
western-European countries and life in asylum seekers 
centres), we think the project has a strong European meaning 
and impact. Its focus on two young female teenagers and 
their friendship, and its tight narration, also widen its impact 
on a larger public, even if it stays an arthouse film. We want to 
add as many distribution partners as possible to have a broad 
European release.
The co-production could be mainly within the 
post-production crew but also a small part of the shooting 
crew and cast.Synopsis Jahia, a 16-year-old Eritrean girl, lives in a centre for asylum seekers in Belgium. Without perspectives, Jahia has a fear of the future that isolates her and prevents her from living. One day, she meets Nèta, a 
young Moldavian girl, who drags her along in her crazy energy. Unfortunately, Nèta's family is ordered 
to leave the country. Nèta suddenly falls into a deep sleep, victim of resignation syndrome. Jahia will do 
everything to wake her up and not succumb to the contamination of despair.Director's Biography Olivier Meys is a Belgian filmmaker and screenwriter. In 2000, he graduated from the 
Institut des Arts de Diffusion (Belgium) with 
a degree in radio and film directing. Meys has 
made several short films and documentaries, 
including Dans les d&eacute;combres/A Disappearance 
Foretold (2008), which won him the SCAM 
Award at Cin&eacute;ma du R&eacute;el in 2008, and the radio 
documentary Fi&egrave;vre/The Fever (2001), for which 
he was awarded the Grand prix SCAM at the 
2003 Radiophonic Festival. Meys&rsquo;s feature film 
debut, Bitter Flowers (2017), about a young 
Chinese woman who leaves behind her son and 
husband and moves to Paris in search of a better 
future, premiered at Busan International Film 
Festival and won the Magritte Award for Best First 
Feature.