Many people embark on life journeys that they believe they truly want and need to secure a stable future for themselves. But actor Hakim Brahimi’s protagonist of Ramy in the upcoming coming-of-age drama, ‘Montréal Girls,’ realizes that everything he thought he wanted for himself won’t actually fulfill him after he arrives in the titular city to attend medical school.
The feature is set to have its World Premiere this Saturday, August 20 at the California Theatre in San Jose, California during the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival, where it’s nominated for the Visionary Award. An additional screening is scheduled for this Monday, August 22. Chica and the movie’s cast and crew will be in attendance at the screenings for a Q&A. In honor of the drama’s premiere, ShockYa is exclusively debuting the feature’s poster.
‘Montréal Girls’ was co-written by Patricia Chica and Kamal John Iskander. Chica also made her feature film directorial debut on, and produced, the movie. In addition to Brahimi, the drama also stars Jasmina Parent (‘Genesis’), Sana Asad (‘The Boys’), Jade Hassouné (‘Brick Mansions’), Nahéma Ricci (‘Antigone’) and Manuel Tadros (‘X-Men: Apocalypse’).
Chica helmed ‘Montréal Girls’ using an intuitive creative process she developed called the Chi Energy method, which connects storytelling with higher consciousness in order to expand people’s creativity and accelerate results. She explored the process with the cast and crew for about a year before and during production.
The film is inspired by Chica’s personal experience navigating Montréal’s subcultures both as a documentarian. “I strive to tell inspiring stories that explore universal themes to which audiences worldwide can connect and relate. Storytelling is a holistic process for me, it’s all connected to a higher vision and purpose but is also grounded by characters confronted with complex real-world dilemmas they must overcome to transcend their ordinary selves and become something greater,” she said.
‘Montréal Girls,’ which is in English with some Arabic and French, tells the story of Ramy, a young Middle Eastern student who ventures to the eponymous city to study medicine. There he meets his wild and outgoing cousin Tamer (Hassouné), who introduces him to the city’s vibrant underground subcultures and thrilling nightlife. This exciting new world inspires Ramy’s innate desire to become a poet, and hurls him into a tumultuous relationship with three young women who not only shatter his perceptions, but also reveal to him his destiny.
For more information on ‘Montréal Girls,’ visit its official website, as well as its Facebook and Instagram pages.