I am inspired by stories that are deeply rooted in a cultural context while also appealing to universal themes ; stories that allow me to remember the contrast of life: we are all different, yet we are all the same. I believe in the power of stories to create more understanding between peoples and cultures.
Bio
Rime is a writer and filmmaker, based in Toronto. She is currenty developing her first narrative short, into me see.
Her first documentary, The Dublin Pitfall, on the refugee crisis in Eastern Europe was screened across Europe, Asia, and Africa, including at Amnesty International’s Refugee Week Festival in London (UK) and at the 2015 Beirut Spring Festival (Lebanon).
Rime previously worked with the Canada Media Fund, Inspirit Foundation, BIPOC TV and Film, the Black Screen Office, and 2M TV. Rime holds a Masters Degree in Multimedia Journalism from Orebro University, in Sweden, as well as a Bachelor Degree in International Studies from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (Morocco).
An avid learner and passionate about languages, Rime grew up speaking Arabic and French, learned English from age 10, learned Spanish at 16, and Turkish from age 18. She’s an etymology nerd and relaxes by doing grammar exercises in a foreign language. Next on her list are Farsi and German.
The longer story
My inquisitiveness led me to a career in journalism, but soon enough, I felt the need to explore stories deeper, beyond mere facts. Making documentaries allowed me to take the time to address the nuances of a story and explore creative ways of storytelling.
I made my first film, The Dublin Pitfall, to share the daily lives of asylum seekers in Bulgaria’s makeshift refugee camps, and raise awareness of their plight. I started this project in late 2013, when no mainstream media were covering the asylum crisis in Europe yet. In hindsight, I naively believed that it was only a matter of people knowing about this for things to improve.
I initiated an impact campaign by reaching out to over 150 nonprofits in Europe and Asia for them to host a screening and discussion around the film. One of the most impactful was in Maastricht, The Netherlands. A newly opened refugee centre hosted the screening and invited locals from the neighbourhood to watch the film and have dinner with the newly arrived asylum seekers. Having a film as a conversation starter made it easier for the asylum seekers to share their own stories, and for the locals to understand their new neighbours’ lived experiences beyond numbers and facts they may have seen on the news
I am inspired by stories that have the potential for social impact. For every project I start, I think of the impact the story could have on the audience, beyond entertainment. Sometimes, that impact can be as simple as feeling a human connection to someone from a different background.
During my first years in Canada and the pandemic, I distracted myself by watching satirical comedy. It challenged a previous idea I had that serious topics need to be addressed in a serious tone. I found myself laughing while reflecting on more serious topics, such as workers’ rights, racism, and xenophobia. Realising the power of fiction got me to explore telling new stories through fictive characters and plots.
Paradoxically, writing fiction is more vulnerable and personal for me than documentary. My unscripted work was about my perspective on someone else’ story or lived experience, while my narrative work, despite being the result of my imagination, taps into my own emotional journeys. I want to make films that combine drama and comedy, while having a topical socio-political dimension.