Thissa d'Avila Bensalah

Raised on tales of a Djinn fairy princess, Azur, a young Frenchman goes to North Africa in search of the sprite, only to discover that his close childhood friend, Asmar, an Arab youth whose mother raised both boys also seeks the genie.

With the help of her delivery-boy friend, Dilili, a young Kanak, investigates a spate of mysterious kidnappings of young girls that is plaguing Belle Epoque Paris. In the course of her investigation she encounters a series of extraordinary characters, each of whom provides her with clues that will help her in her quest.

Three tales, three ages, three worlds. At the time of Ancient Egypt, a young king becomes the first black pharaoh to deserve the hand of his loved one. During the French Middle Ages, a mysterious wild boy steals from the rich to give to the poor. In 18th-century Turkey, a prince of pastries and a princess of roses escape the palace to live their love.

In a psychiatric hospital, Thissa d'Avila Bensalah, a theater director, works on a theatrical construction inspired by Rainer Werner Fassbinder's BREMEN FREEDOM in which she involves nine patients under psychiatric care. The play's main role of Geesche is played by Annick. But what does it mean to make a fictional character come to life when that character is so close to one's own experiences ? A number of questions arise concerning the impact of Geesche's story on the intimate and collective life of the actors and actresses involved in the play. Annick, Georges, Jean-Pascal, Jean-Paul, Anne, Nordine, Felix, Stephane and Marie-Pierre question how their real lives overlap with their theatrical roles. These questions eventually develop into a common reflection on how psychiatry, patriarchal violence and social constructions are ultimately interwoven.