Tala Hadid’s ‘Bardi’ to World Premiere in New York

At the heart of the film is “Tbourida,” the Moroccan equestrian tradition that dates back to the 16th century.

Casablanca – British-Moroccan-Iraqi filmmaker and photographer Tala Hadid’s latest film “Bardi” will make its world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival on October 1.

The 109-minute film will serve as the centerpiece of the Currents section, which explores contemporary cinema from around the world.

At the heart of the film is “Tbourida,” the Moroccan equestrian tradition that dates back to the 16th century.

Hadid follows a brotherhood of horse riders as they travel through central Morocco, moving between ancient cities, rural communities, wheat fields, and sacred sites to take part in the ritual.

“Bardi” looks beyond the spectacle of horses and riders. The film explores the bonds that hold the group together, as well as ideas of community, belief, tradition, and the way people shape their identities within a shared world.

The project marks Hadid’s third feature and follows her award-winning work “The Narrow Frame of Midnight” and “House in the Fields.”

Her connection to Morocco has long been central to her filmmaking, with “House in the Fields” exploring life in an Amazigh community in the Atlas Mountains and “The Narrow Frame of Midnight” taking audiences across Morocco, Istanbul, and Kurdistan.

Between cinema and photography

Hadid’s creative work also extends into photography. Her photographic project “Heterotopia” documented life in a New York City brothel, while a selection of her photographs was later published by Stern Fotografie.

Her films have also earned recognition well beyond Morocco, with her work screening at major festivals including Berlin and Venice and receiving numerous awards.

She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, while her moving-image work is part of the Ruben Bentsov Moving Image Collection at the Walker Art Center.

With “Bardi,” Hadid once again turns her lens toward a world shaped by memory, tradition, and community, this time placing Morocco’s “Tbourida” tradition at the center of a major New York premiere.