Shame
- Knowbox dance
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
kNOwBOX dance Film Festival 2025
Official Selection Film Spotlight
Shame (عيب) (2024)
Directed by Hadi Moussally
📍 Spain & France ⏱ 4:27 minutes
In the 19th century Levant, Salma Zahore's act of shedding her coat during a long-exposure photoshoot unleashes unforeseen chaos and shame among her community.
Film Descriiption
In the 19th century, in the Levant region, Salma Zahore, along with her parents and neighbors, participated in a photoshoot using a long exposure technique. At the end of it, Salma decided to take off her coat, revealing her body. Unaware of the chaos this gesture could cause within her circle, she did not know it could lead to shame (عيب).
Meet The Makers
What do you hope to communicate with our audience through your work?
We should stop succumbing to the pressure of social norms and be proud of ourselves—because no matter what, people will talk.
Our theme this year is "Bodies in Motion: A Dance Film Celebration" to move beyond borders and dance through time. Telling stories only the body can speak. How do you think your film relates to this theme?
The fact that Salma Zahore is performing belly dance is a form of activism. It highlights how our bodies can be powerful tools for change.
Biography
Hadi Moussally is a Lebanese-French filmmaker with two master’s degrees in Fiction and Documentary/Anthropological Cinema from Paris. In 2015, he co-founded the production company h7o7, dedicated to creating and promoting hybrid works blending fashion, experimental, documentary, and fiction. In 2020, he launched Hybrid Wave, a collective of over 30 international hybrid artists. His bold and genre-defying films have earned him more than 60 awards and over 400 official film festival selections worldwide.
Film Credits
Film by @hadi.moussally
Starring @salmazahore
Original Music @rasheedjalloul
A.I. Voice using @elevenlabsio: @hadi.moussally
Production @h7o7studio
D.O.P, Post-Production & Sound Design @olivierpagny
Fashion Stylist @faustoleoni_
Assistant Stylist @woodhand_alchemist
Assistant @cut2mari
Fashion Designers @emmartiga, @lluis_colom & @victorvonschwarz
Festival Screenings/Awards
Lebanese Film Festival in Latin America 2025Mexico
Mexico
September 25, 2025
Bendigo Queer Film Festival 2025Bendigo
Australia
August 18, 2025
REELING: Dance on Screen Film Festival 2025Edmonton
Canada
July 14, 2025
Squish movie camp 2025Rotterdam
Netherlands
June 12, 2025
Queer Spectrum Film Festival 2025Dublin
Ireland
June 13, 2025
Fairy Tales Queer Art & Film Festival 2025Calgary
Canada
June 12, 2025
Queer Mvmnt Fest 2025San Diego
United States
June 4, 2025
Berlin Dance Film Festival 2025Berlin
Germany
May 25, 2025
Cinema Talks 2025Graz
Austria
May 15, 2025
"Honorable mention" award
Queer movie nights 2025Athens
Greece
May 7, 2025
Wunderground Film Festival 2025Kemzeke
Belgium
May 4, 2025
Pink Apple Film Festival 2025Zurich
Switzerland
April 30, 2025
QueerCine International Film Festival 2025Ghent
Belgium
April 28, 2025
"Best Super Short Film" Award
WICKED QUEER 2025Cambridge
United States
April 4, 2025
International Festival of Films on Art (Le FIFA) 2025Montreal
Canada
March 13, 2025
PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2025Melbourne
Australia
March 20, 2025
Minnesota Film Festival 2025Minnesota
United States
March 19, 2025
Vierte Welle Film Festival 2025Berlin
Germany
March 16, 2025
International Feminist & Queer Festival Red Dawns 2025Ljubljana
Slovenia
March 7, 2025
Leeds Queer Film Festival 2025Leeds
United Kingdom
February 23, 2025
Fashion in Flux 2025Rotterdam
Netherlands
February 6, 2025
Multiplié Dance Film 2025Trondheim
Norway
January 21, 2025
"Best international dance film" Award
ROLLOUT Dance Film Festival 2025Macao
January 16, 2025
Flatlands Dance Film Festival 2025Urbana
United States
January 24, 2025
Sarajevo Fashion Film Festival 2024Sarajevo
Bosnia and Herzegovina
December 14, 2024
Point Of U 2024Brussels
Belgium
December 7, 2024
Finalist
VerticalMovie Festival 2024Roma
Italy
December 4, 2024
Beirut Shorts International Film Festival 2024Beirut
Lebanon
November 26, 2024
"Honorable mention" award
FASHIONCLASH Festival 2024Maastricht
Netherlands
November 16, 2024
"Best Fashion Film" Award
Inclucine Festival 2024Cartagena
Colombia
November 14, 2024
ASVOFF 2024Paris
France
November 7, 2024
MIX COPENHAGEN 2024Copenhagen
Denmark
October 25, 2024
Annual Arab Film Festival 2024San Francisco
United States
October 24, 2024
Choreoscope 2024Barcelona
Spain
October 20, 2024
"Best international dance film festival" Award
Pool Film Festival 2024Berlin
Germany
October 18, 2024
Fringe! 2024London
United Kingdom
September 21, 2024
Bucharest International Dance Film Festival 2024Bucharest
Romania
September 5, 2024
"Honorable mention" award
Connect
Film by @hadi.moussally
Starring @salmazahore
Original Music @rasheedjalloul
A.I. Voice using @elevenlabsio: @hadi.moussally
Production @h7o7studio
D.O.P, Post-Production & Sound Design @olivierpagny
Fashion Stylist @faustoleoni_
Assistant Stylist @woodhand_alchemist
Assistant @cut2mari
Fashion Designers @emmartiga, @lluis_colom & @victorvonschwarz
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