The Desert Rocker is an intimate, witty and profound portrait of the extraordinary Hasna El Becharia, a pioneer Gnawa artist. The first musician to break through the social barrier of this culture, she empowers and inspires women of all ages by reclaiming a musical tradition reserved for men for centuries. A singularly talented artist, she leads women to redefine their roles and challenge cultural norms, one musical performance at a time.

About the filmmaker:

Sara Nacer is a Canadian Algerian filmmaker based in Montreal, her first documentary film, Qu'ils partent tous, shot in Algeria at the heart of the smile revolution, highlights the socio-cultural awakening of the younger generation. Released in December 2019, the film broke records at the Cinémathèque Québécoise with several sold-out screenings and great media coverage. It won the LOGIQ Award for a promising filmmaker at the Vues d'Afrique Film Festival and the Best Documentary Film Award at the Festival Images et vie de Dakar.

Her feature film La Rockeuse du désert (The Desert Rocker) won Best Feature Film award at Montreal Vues d'Afrique Film Festival and was selected for the Tribeca Film Institute and Greenhouse in 2017, in addition to an artistic residency at the Jacob Burns Film Center in New York. She is also writing a feature documentary selected for the Close-Up initiative in 2020, an international development program for emerging filmmakers.

Recognized in Montreal for her contribution to the promotion of cultural diversity, Sara has produced several major events and projects. She has also produced several sold-out concerts at La Place des Arts in Montreal.