Short synopsis
Serge, a forty-year-old man from Réunion who has been sterilized, is confronted by a child who claims to be his son. This “nonexistent son” embodies the societal pressures surrounding fatherhood. Through dialogues, memories, and encounters, Serge delves into his rejection of parenthood, the weight of the colonial past, and the struggles between individual freedom and societal expectations.
Statement of intent
Before my vasectomy in 2014, I was questioned about my refusal to have children. After the procedure, the misunderstanding evolved: it became a loss of masculinity for some men, and a feminist hero for certain women. However, this choice was neither social nor political, but personal. Through the sudden appearance of my imaginary child, I question my motivations, reveal my contradictions, my traumas, and my relationship with my body. As the exchanges unfold, I revisit my blind spots and invite, through a racial and gendered lens, a collective introspection.
Direction
Serge PAYET
La Réunion – France
Format
Feature-length documentary
80 minutes
In development
Production
Studio Alphonse
Dynamo production
Total budget :
160.000 €
Confirmed funding :
75.500€
The Author :
I have been a director and editor for about thirty years and am currently the vice-president of the Association of Filmmakers of La Réunion. I am an active member of the film and audiovisual industry.
Filmography :
Otto Pussy (2019) CM, Fiction
La Séance (2023) / CM, Documentaire
The Production Company
Studio Alphonse is a Réunion-based production, post-production, and laboratory company founded in 2014, led by Jérôme BAUDARD, a producer, post-production coordinator, and director. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, his artistic vision combined with his technical experience allows him to work across a broad range of fields, from creative documentaries to artist films, as well as fiction, music videos, and commercials. Passionate about imagery and the technical and artistic challenges it presents, Studio Alphonse has produced, directed, and post-produced advertisements and institutional films in Réunion, Mayotte, Madagascar, and mainland France for nine years.
In parallel, the studio has managed post-production and laboratory services for many documentaries, short films, and feature films in the Indian Ocean region. Since 2023, Studio Alphonse has chosen to support and produce young directors or engaged projects with an original editorial line.
The FIFOI aims to highlight the cinematic diversity of our regions.
Opening Ceremony
April 5th, Stella Matutina, 6:30pm
Feature-length documentary competition : 1st part
April 6th, Ciné Cambaie, 2pm
Feature-length documentary competition : 2nd part
April 7, Ciné Cambaie, 6:30pm
Short film competition
April 8th, Ciné Cambaie 6:30pm
Awards and closing ceremony
April 9th, Stella Matutina, 6:30pm
The Film Market
April 6th to 9th, Hôtel Le Récif
