Pictures: Instagram / Othmane Zolati
Zolati left everything behind him and spent four years walking, cycling and skateboarding his way through Africa, from Morocco to Cape Town, to bring the enchanting story of Africa and I to life.
Speaking at the 30th Anniversary Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles, Zolati said after seven years of hard work, his African dream became a reality.
“This accomplishment will be a lifelong motivation enabling me to fulfil my future achievements. This is my very first award in the film industry, for which I, personally, am so grateful. Being here today, and after all that I have been through, is quite emotional for me. Reminiscing on how I started from scratch, as a 20-year-old boy from El Jadida, Morocco with a mere $80 in his pocket hoping to have his dream come true. Sitting here today, with an award under my belt, is a motivation to keep me to continue and never, ever give up,” he said.
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Producer Thierry Cassuto said making Africa & I was an intense labour of love for the entire Both Worlds team and co-director Chris Green, who helped Zolati shape and tell his amazing story.
He added that they are grateful to the jury of the Pan African Film and Arts Festival for recognising this first film by a young director.
Co-directed by Zolati and Chris Green (Chasing the Sun) and produced by Both Worlds Pictures (Puppet Nation ZA, Recipes for Love and Murder), the film was also selected for the Portland Film Festival 2021, the Africa World Documentary Film Festival 2022 and the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (Amdocs) 2022.
Africa and I are now streaming on Showmax.
*Compiled by Xanet Scheepers.