Meryam Joobeur drama ‘Who Do I Belong To’ wins Windsor film festival prize

WINDSOR, Ont. — A drama about the tensions a Tunisian family faces when their son returns home from war with a dark secret is the winner of this year’s Windsor International Film Festival prize for Canadian film.

Montreal-based director Meryam Joobeur took home the $25,000 prize Sunday for her film “Who Do I Belong To.”

The movie starring Salha Nasraoui, Mohamed Grayaâ and Malek Mechergui delves into the impacts Islamic extremism can have on family.

The panel of jurors who determined the winner praised the movie for being bold and stylistic while telling a story “through layers of poetic imagery that culminate with a visceral impact.”

The prize was awarded at a private afternoon reception attended by representatives from all 10 nominated films including “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story,” “Hunting Daze,” “Russians at War” and “Universal Language.”

Past recipients of the award include Ariane Louis-Seize for “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” and Anthony Shim for “Riceboy Sleeps.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.