LES HIRONDELLES DE KABOUL
France, Luxembourg, Switzerland
Synopsis
Summer 1998 - Kabul under Taliban rule. Zunaira and Mohsen are young and in love. Despite the daily violence and misery, they hope for a better future. One day, a foolish gesture causes life to take an irrevocable turn.
Director's Biography
ZABOU BREITMAN
At the age of four, Zabou played in one of the episodes of the TV show THIERRY LA FRONDE alongside her father, Jean-Claude Deret. Zabou studied Cinema, Modern Greek and English for her bachelor’s degree and attended the Simon course. She was an animator at RECRÉ A2 in the 80s and made her film debut in 1982. Often playing more comedic roles (BANZAÏ, THE BEAUF, PROMOTION SOFA), it did not take long for her to distinguish herself. In the 90s, she worked with filmmakers like Diane Kurys (LA BAULE-LES-PINS, 1990), Coline Serreau (THE CRISIS, 1992), Philippe Lioret (CORRESPONDENCE REQUIRED, 1997) and Pierre Jolivet (MY SMALL COMPANY, 1999), or the Jaoui / Bacri tandem in KITCHEN AND DEPENDENCY in 1993.
In 2001, she directed her first feature film, BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES, with Bernard Campan and Isabelle Carré. The film was awarded with three Césars including Best First Feature Film. This was followed in 2006 with THE MAN OF MY LIFE and in 2009, JE L’AIMAIS. During this decade, Zabou Breitman acted in the films of Michel Deville (ALMOST PEACEFUL, 2002), Gilles Lellouche (NARCO, 2004) and Rémi Bezançon (THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, 2008).
She acted under the direction of Pierre Schoeller in THE MINISTER with Olivier Gourmet, and in THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK by Bruno Podalydes.
In 2010 she directed her fourth feature film NO ET MOI, based on the novel by Delphine De Vigan.
In 2017, she co-wrote and directed the TV series PARIS ETC. for Canal Plus. At the same time, she has pursued a successful career as a theatre director, notably with “Winter under the table” (Molière du Metteur en Scène 2003), Roland Topor, “Des Gens”, an adaptation of Molière’s work by Raymond Depardon and “La Compagnie des spectres” (2010) by Lydie Salvayre.
Currently her show “logiquimperturbabledufou” is being performed at the Theater du Rond-Point.
ELÉA GOBBE-MÉVELLEC
After graduating in Applied Arts, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec joined the Ecole des Gobelins in 2003. Her first two short films, MADAME (made during her studies in 2006 ) and ESCALE (2010) were selected at the Annecy Int'l Animated FF.
In addition to her work as a graphic designer on television sets and advertising for luxury brands, she also worked as an animator on short films like BANG BANG! by Julien Bisaro, nominated at the 2015 César Awards for Best Animated Film, and SMART MONKEY by Vincent Paronnaud and Nicolas Pawlowski. Eléa continued her career as a character animator for feature films such as ERNEST AND CÉLESTINE, THE RABBI’S CAT, THE DAY OF THE CROWS and APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD. In 2016, she collaborated as a cartoonist on the animated series LASTMAN, an adaptation of the comic strip created by Bastien Vivès, Balak and Michaël Sanlaville. THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL is her first feature film as director.
At the age of four, Zabou played in one of the episodes of the TV show THIERRY LA FRONDE alongside her father, Jean-Claude Deret. Zabou studied Cinema, Modern Greek and English for her bachelor’s degree and attended the Simon course. She was an animator at RECRÉ A2 in the 80s and made her film debut in 1982. Often playing more comedic roles (BANZAÏ, THE BEAUF, PROMOTION SOFA), it did not take long for her to distinguish herself. In the 90s, she worked with filmmakers like Diane Kurys (LA BAULE-LES-PINS, 1990), Coline Serreau (THE CRISIS, 1992), Philippe Lioret (CORRESPONDENCE REQUIRED, 1997) and Pierre Jolivet (MY SMALL COMPANY, 1999), or the Jaoui / Bacri tandem in KITCHEN AND DEPENDENCY in 1993.
In 2001, she directed her first feature film, BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES, with Bernard Campan and Isabelle Carré. The film was awarded with three Césars including Best First Feature Film. This was followed in 2006 with THE MAN OF MY LIFE and in 2009, JE L’AIMAIS. During this decade, Zabou Breitman acted in the films of Michel Deville (ALMOST PEACEFUL, 2002), Gilles Lellouche (NARCO, 2004) and Rémi Bezançon (THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, 2008).
She acted under the direction of Pierre Schoeller in THE MINISTER with Olivier Gourmet, and in THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK by Bruno Podalydes.
In 2010 she directed her fourth feature film NO ET MOI, based on the novel by Delphine De Vigan.
In 2017, she co-wrote and directed the TV series PARIS ETC. for Canal Plus. At the same time, she has pursued a successful career as a theatre director, notably with “Winter under the table” (Molière du Metteur en Scène 2003), Roland Topor, “Des Gens”, an adaptation of Molière’s work by Raymond Depardon and “La Compagnie des spectres” (2010) by Lydie Salvayre.
Currently her show “logiquimperturbabledufou” is being performed at the Theater du Rond-Point.
ELÉA GOBBE-MÉVELLEC
After graduating in Applied Arts, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec joined the Ecole des Gobelins in 2003. Her first two short films, MADAME (made during her studies in 2006 ) and ESCALE (2010) were selected at the Annecy Int'l Animated FF.
In addition to her work as a graphic designer on television sets and advertising for luxury brands, she also worked as an animator on short films like BANG BANG! by Julien Bisaro, nominated at the 2015 César Awards for Best Animated Film, and SMART MONKEY by Vincent Paronnaud and Nicolas Pawlowski. Eléa continued her career as a character animator for feature films such as ERNEST AND CÉLESTINE, THE RABBI’S CAT, THE DAY OF THE CROWS and APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD. In 2016, she collaborated as a cartoonist on the animated series LASTMAN, an adaptation of the comic strip created by Bastien Vivès, Balak and Michaël Sanlaville. THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL is her first feature film as director.
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec
Written by: Zabou Breitman, Sebastien Tavel, Patricia Mortagne
Produced by: Reginald de Guillebon
Editing: Françoise Bernard
Production Design: Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec
Sound: Alexis Rault
Animation: Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec
Nominations and Awards
- European Animated Feature Film 2019
