Bernardo Ale Abinader
Sharon Hakim
2025
Brazil, France
Portuguese
fiction
drama | ecology | women
15 minutes
Cinema Inflamável & DW
For several years now, Cassia, a traditional healer, has been patiently teaching her secrets to Marjorie, her young disciple. Now, the moment has arrived to pass on the legacy.
BERNARDO ALE ABINADER
Bernardo Ale Abinader is a director and screenwriter from Manaus, Amazonas. He holds a PhD in Literature and is a professor at the University of Amazonas. He graduated in Audiovisual Production Technology from the University of Amazonas. His short film The Boat and the River premiered at Gramado and won five awards including Best National Short and Best Director; awarded at Cine Ceará, Lobo Fest, Cine Amazônia, and FestCine in Brazil. The film was in many festivals including Bogoshorts, Festival do Rio, Mexico, Chile, Azerbaijan. His first feature, The Boat and the River was written at Cena 15 film lab (Porto Iracema das Artes School), at Sesc Argumenta, and BrLab. He was also selected by Projeto Paradiso to participate in BAL-LAB Biarritz, France, and by Rio2C and FRAPA for pitching.
SHARON HAKIM
Sharon Hakim studied Politics and Philosophy at the American University in Paris, and Filmmaking at New School in New York. In 2020, she wrote and directed the musical short The Great Night, broadcast on Arte, and screened at Clermont-Ferrand, Cinemed. The film won Best Short Film and Best Actress in Cabourg, and the Audience Award in Brest. In 2024, she wrote and directed Nostalgia for the Dodos, pre-bought by Canal + France. In 2025, her third short The Devil and the Bicycle, shot in Lebanon and supported by CNC, was awarded National Youth Prize at Clermont-Ferrand. She is developing her first feature Mermaid Avenue, which got a Special mention at Cinemed Du court au long program and was selected for the writing residency Rawi, supported by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan.
SHARON HAKIM
LE DIABLE ET LA BICYCLETTE (2024, short)
LA NOSTALGIE DES DODOS (2024, short)
BERNARDO ALE ABINADER
O Barco e o Rio / The Boat and the River (2020, short)
Como Ler o Vento / How to read the wind (2025, short)
Dia dos Pais / Father’s Day (2025, short) to be released
BERNARDO ALE ABINADER
Bernardo Ale Abinader reflects that the Factory program gave him the unique opportunity to collaborate with some of the most talented and incredible professionals, opportunities he might not have had otherwise. He has learned a great deal throughout the experience, which he considers very important for his career and his feature project. Bernardo describes working with Sharon as the most pleasant surprise. They connected well from the beginning, sharing complementary qualities despite their different backgrounds. He finds it fascinating how two people with such diverse experiences could have such aligned visions throughout the process. Bernardo believes they were very fortunate to have the chance to create a short film they both love, supported by a team of amazing people who trusted them and felt deeply connected to the project. He feels that they made something truly special and expresses his lasting gratitude to the Factory program.
SHARON HAKIM
Sharon Hakim expresses deep gratitude for having taken part in this edition of La Factory, a program she had long hoped to join. What she looked forward to most was the creative exchange with a fellow director from across the world—an encounter that would allow their artistic worlds to merge into a new, shared vision. For Sharon, directing a film in a foreign language was a compelling challenge that pushed her to rely less on dialogue and explore other cinematic tools more deeply. The fast-paced nature of the program, unlike anything she had experienced before, taught her valuable lessons in decision-making, setting priorities, and collaboration. Looking back on her time in Brazil, Sharon feels particularly moved by the people she met, the partnership with Bernardo Ale Abinader, and the talented artists and crew they worked with. She also treasures the bond formed with the other filmmakers who shared in this intense and transformative experience.
