La Nuit de la possession - La Lila de Derdeba

A unique film about a night of trance (“Lila de Derdeba”) in a Gnawa family in Essaouira, Morocco. The Gnawa are descendants of West African slaves who have preserved their musical and therapeutic ritual. The entire ceremony is filmed from the preparation (buying the sacrificial animals) to the following morning at sunrise. The film takes us, body and soul, beyond the music to reveal the splendor of a universal message that has travelled through time to celebrate life. Featuring Mahmoud Guinea, one of the greatest Gnawa masters in Morocco, and his partner Malika.

• Frank CassentiDirector