For documentary maker Younes Haidar, it started as a road trip through the two worlds he got from his parents - Belgium and Morocco - to find out what his identity means exactly. But when he asks actor Zouzou Ben Chikha to read his documentary, he is confronted with one critical question after another.
©Streamz - StreamzZouzou absolutely disagrees with the choices Younes has made and makes that clear to him. What follows is a hilarious, profound and revealing conversation in which we get to know the real Younes step by step. Dag Vreemde Man is a story about identity and polarization, presented with humor and sharpness. This innovative three-part documentary can be seen exclusively on Streamz from Thursday 22 May.
Documentary filmmaker Younes Haidar grew up in a traditional Flemish context. As the child of a Belgian mother and a Moroccan father, he was mainly exposed to his mother's culture: he was baptized, went to a white school, had only white friends and was a scout member for years. A classic Fleming. Now Younes is 33 years old and increasingly feels the need to get to know his Moroccan side. In search of answers, he drives around Belgium and Morocco to talk to the most diverse people: from rapping grandmas and Moroccan metalheads to Flemish extremists. The result: a beautiful, classic documentary.
When he approaches actor Zouzou Ben Chikha with this project and asks him to read everything, he suddenly finds himself in front of a critical voice. Zouzou does not always agree with the choices Younes has made in his documentary. And he immediately puts his finger on the sore spot: throughout the entire documentary, Younes avoids revealing anything about himself. Like a seasoned therapist, Zouzou starts digging deeper and deeper in search of who Younes really is. From this profound, emotional and hilarious conversation between the two, something completely new emerges: a documentary within the documentary. Or a quest within the quest. It all depends on how you look at things.