Grief as Seen Through the Eyes of 12-Year-Old

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Sun, 02 Feb 2025 - 04:17 GMT

BY

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 - 04:17 GMT

A scene from Grief.

A scene from Grief.

 

 
Grief is a complex journey — raw, unpredictable, and deeply personal. In Maja Ajamia’s poignant coming-of-age film TÊTES BRÛLÉES, which will be holding its world premiere as part of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival’s Generation 14plus Program, this emotional storm is explored through the eyes of 12-year-old Eya.
 
Set in the aftermath of a tragedy that reshapes her young life, the film delves into the universal and culturally nuanced experience of mourning, offering a sensitive reflection on loss, resilience, and the search for healing.  
 
At the heart of TÊTES BRÛLÉES lies a powerful bond between siblings. Eya’s older brother Younès was more than family — he was her anchor, her mirror, her closest friend. His sudden passing shatters the world they shared, leaving her grappling with an absence that feels too vast to comprehend. The film captures the complexity of this grief as it ripples through every corner of her life, transforming her relationships, her sense of identity, and her path forward.  
 
For Eya, mourning is more than just weeping; it is a process shaped by cultural traditions and communal rituals that define how grief is expressed and experienced. Yet beneath these formalities, TÊTES BRÛLÉES reveals the raw, unspoken pain of a child whose heart aches with unanswered questions. Ajamia’s thoughtful direction invites us to witness Eya’s quiet struggles; the way memory blurs with imagination, the moments of isolation where sorrow feels too heavy to share, and the fierce bursts of creativity she uses to keep Younès alive in her mind.  
 
As the film beautifully portrays, grief is not a linear path. It is a storm of conflicting emotions: Denial, anger, sorrow, and love, all intertwined. Through her connection with Younès’ friends, Eya begins to understand that loss does not mean the end of a connection. They become her unexpected companions in a shared voyage of remembrance, helping her rediscover fragments of joy and purpose amid her sorrow.  
 
Director Maja Ajamia’s background as a Belgian-Tunisian-Danish filmmaker infuses TÊTES BRÛLÉES with a rich tapestry of perspectives. Her reflection on the layered nature of grief in different cultural contexts lends depth to Eya’s story, making it a deeply resonant exploration of mourning’s universal truths and its culturally specific expressions.  
 
As TÊTES BRÛLÉES makes its world premiere at Berlinale, it stands as a testament to the transformative power of storytelling. Through Eya’s journey, the film reminds us that grief is a process of both remembering and becoming — an ever-shifting experience where sorrow and strength exist side by side, and where loss, though painful, can open the door to unexpected growth and self-discovery.
 
Produced by Komoko and co-produced by Quetzalcoatl and 1080 Films, TÊTES BRÛLÉES is written and directed by the Belgian-Tunisian-Danish director and screenwriter Maja Ajmia Zellama. A graduate of the LUCA School of Arts, Zellama is the co-founder and president of the ASBL Bledarte — a Brussels-based association that promotes the expression and empowerment of immigrant youth through art and culture.
 
The film is produced by Marc Goyens (HERE, GHOST TROPIC) and Nabil Ben Yadir (ANIMALS), lensed by Grimm Vandekerckhove (HERE, GHOST TROPIC), edited by Dieter Diependaele (HERE, GHOST TROPIC), with Eve Martin handling production design, Marie McCourt casting, and David Vranken sound design.
 
As for the talents in front of the camera, TÊTES BRÛLÉES stars Safa Gharbaoui, Mehdi Bouziane, Mounir Amamra (DIVINES), Adnane El Haruati, Saber Tabi, Nicolas Makola, Mehdi Zellama, and Monia Taieb.

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