The first clip of Eimi Imanishi’s directorial debut, “Nomad Shadow,” was released as the film prepares for its world premiere at the 50th Toronto Film Festival.
The drama follows the difficult return of a young woman after being deported to Western Sahara from Spain, the territory she left many years ago. The hero faces rejection from both the cultural environment she tried to escape from and the bitter family about her former departure. Her efforts to maintain her identity while navigating traditional expectations only deepen the rift in her past life.
“They’re making the most of their abilities,” said Shrihari Sathe, producers of Producers Shrihari Sate, Belem Sanchez Silver, Queeralt Serra, Damon Owlia, Jayne Baron Sherman, Virginie LaCombe and Eric Dupont. “As deportation and forced removal destroy lives all over the world, we are proud to bring this timely, deeply human story back to the world starting with a fantastic Toronto audience.”
The Toronto premiere marks a kind of homecoming for Imanishi, who brought her short film, “To My Beat to the Battalion” in 2016.
Imanishi said: “It’s great to be able to come back with the legendary audience of the festival, take them to Western Sahara and realize my dream of immersing myself in the world as I know it.”
Lead actor Nadilla Mohamed, who headlines the film, was drawn from his living experience growing up in the Saharawi refugee camp in the Tinduhu region of Algeria. She has spent more than a decade working in social services and is currently partnering with the Spanish Red Cross to help asylum seekers.
“I took part in the ‘Nomad Shadow’, as it reflects the journey that many immigrants face,” Nadira Mohamed said. “This is why I wanted to play this role. It’s the story of many people I met every day and I keep meeting.”
Previous acting credits for Nadhira Mohamed include the role of “Wilaya” from 2011, directed by Pedro Pérez Rosado and produced by José María Morales.
Imanishi is both a writer-director and producer alongside Satte, Sanchez Silver, Serra, Auria, Baron Sherman, Lacombe and DuPont. The executive producer roster includes Peter Howard, Gregory Franklin, Yasinlalwi and Julia Thompson.
International co-production includes US dialectics, Spanish UN Capricot des Producion, distinctive films, as well as French burgy and secret films.
The funding received additional support from ICEC in Catalonia through the Spanish ICAA and the European Union’s NextGenerationeu programme, as well as support from renowned institutions such as the Sundance Institute, Film Independence, Gotham Film & Media Institute, and the Cultural Ministry from both the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and Algeria.
The project was developed through several industry labs, including ongoing programs in Cologne, Sofia and Barcelona.
Check out the clip here:
