DAR MHANI // HOME
Filmmaking, cinematography, edit, color grading.
Dar Mhani is the name of the house where I grew up in Morocco. It means House of Mhani, a tribute to my father’s mother, a woman I have never met. Dar Mhani was built by my father, an architect and visual artist engaged in renewable creation. It has always been the house of his dreams. Made of recycled materials, objects from scrap metal, second-hand goods dealers, concrete pieces from building sites, including broken glass, the house is nickedname the Luxurious Favela. The floor is made with black granite and is covered with multiple carpets. White concrete mannequin moldings serve as grids which themselves have been salvaged from demolished structures and slabs. The visual universe of the house is timeless The smell of cedar and oud takes us in a past universe. Every object and detail is not there by coincidence. Coming from a large family, the house was built in order to bring people together. Each room hides a soul that is specific to the person who lives in it. I felt the need to express my vision and fascination for this roof, which made me realize a lot about ourselves. I’ve always seen the sculptures as totem figures that inhabit the house & became members of the family, like an extension of us. Every detail being thought out, I had to make the walls come to life as characters. This short film is a tribute to my personal heritage.
