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THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE Wins National Student Prize at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
10 February 2025
Sharon Hakim’s short film THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE has won the National Student Prize at the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. The film had its world premiere in the festival’s National Competition, marking a significant achievement for Lebanese cinema on an international stage.
Set against the backdrop of Lebanon, THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE follows 13-year-old Yasma, a Lebanese girl from an interfaith marriage, preparing for the ritual of her First Communion. However, as her sensuality awakens, an entirely different kind of ritual begins—one that transcends the bounds of religion and culture.
The film was written and directed by Sharon Hakim, with Astrig Chandèze-Avakian as the producer,in co-production with Christelle Younes. The cast includes Mélissa Succar,Christine Choueiri, Roger Azar,Maria Hektor,and Taliana Succar.The film features cinematography by Laetitia de Montalembert, editing by Clémence Samson, and sound design by Rawad Hobeika, Benoît Gargonne, and Lionel Guenoun. The film’s music was composed by Marc Codsi and Aghiad Ghanem.
This award adds to Hakim’s growing reputation as a filmmaker to watch. Her first short film,THE GREAT NIGHT, was selected at Clermont-Ferrand and Cinemed and won multiple awards. In 2024, she directed both Nostalgia for the Dodos, pre-acquired by Canal+, and THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE. She is currently developing her debut feature, Mermaid Avenue, produced by Les Films du Tambour.
MAD World handles international sales for THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE while MAD Distribution is in charge of MENA-wide distribution.
Set against the backdrop of Lebanon, THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE follows 13-year-old Yasma, a Lebanese girl from an interfaith marriage, preparing for the ritual of her First Communion. However, as her sensuality awakens, an entirely different kind of ritual begins—one that transcends the bounds of religion and culture.
The film was written and directed by Sharon Hakim, with Astrig Chandèze-Avakian as the producer,in co-production with Christelle Younes. The cast includes Mélissa Succar,Christine Choueiri, Roger Azar,Maria Hektor,and Taliana Succar.The film features cinematography by Laetitia de Montalembert, editing by Clémence Samson, and sound design by Rawad Hobeika, Benoît Gargonne, and Lionel Guenoun. The film’s music was composed by Marc Codsi and Aghiad Ghanem.
This award adds to Hakim’s growing reputation as a filmmaker to watch. Her first short film,THE GREAT NIGHT, was selected at Clermont-Ferrand and Cinemed and won multiple awards. In 2024, she directed both Nostalgia for the Dodos, pre-acquired by Canal+, and THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE. She is currently developing her debut feature, Mermaid Avenue, produced by Les Films du Tambour.
MAD World handles international sales for THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE while MAD Distribution is in charge of MENA-wide distribution.
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