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[0:01] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's The Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon.

[0:08] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us on Broadway World over here on the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, Spotify. Wherever artists talk about art, you know, we love Tribeca and we love films that have made it there. And we love films that are personal and tell us something that maybe we all need to hear. Maybe there's something about grief, about family, about what it means to continue dreams and journeys out loud. And we have an incredible director. And the subject, really, she directed herself, I believe. I mean, that's kind of what's her story, her story and her journey with her dad. It's incredible. Meriem, welcome to The Roundtable.

[0:45] Meriem Sakrouhi: Thank you so much. Thanks, Robert.

[0:47] Robert Bannon: So how do you I don't want to say the name of the movie wrong, because to me it's like in America, in the US, we'd say it's M.O.N. is like Monday. But it's not Mon Taxi. How do you what what is the meaning of the name?

[0:59] Meriem Sakrouhi: It's Mon Taxi and Mon means my in French. And the meaning actually comes from the way my dad nicknamed himself. Since I was I've been living outside of home, home being Morocco for, you know, since I was 17, I moved out. I kept just talking to my dad through phone calls. And when I was in New York, that usually happened while I was walking somewhere. Since New York is so walkable, I would go, you know, like meet up a friend for a coffee or go to my day job or whatever it is. I would call him. And then while I'm basically almost there, I would be like, OK, dad, like I'm almost here. Bye. And then he would just joke and be like, I'm basically your free cab, your free taxi. And he would just like kid around with all his friends and everyone knew he was my taxi. So naturally, my taxi made a lot of sense. It was him taking me places. It's the cutest name. And when you see the film is explained in which you see this.

[1:56] Robert Bannon: So growing up in Morocco, what was your first time where you fell in love with filmmaking? When did you decide that you were going to be a filmmaker?

[2:05] Meriem Sakrouhi: I think I didn't realize what it was at the time, but around when I was around 10, my grandfather from my mom's side gave me a camera. It was like a vintage camera. And I loved it. And I started experimenting with it. It started with photography and I just loved it. And then my same person, my grandfather, who I had such a great relationship with, fell into a coma for about 11 years. And I would go visit him all the time. He was just laying down sometimes, like half, I would say half conscious, sometimes conscious, sometimes not. And because he couldn't move, I it all started by like me coming and telling him, you know, stories he couldn't also answer. It was like he would only answer with like blinking his eyes or something.

It was really sad, but I found a way of communicating with him. And I just started telling him about things I saw on the streets. So like if I saw two people interacting in a park, sometimes I would even give them names and started just like creating these tales to my grandfather to entertain him. I think I really fell in love with that, with like the storytelling part and just entertainment. And eventually I started making little like videos and collages and I wouldn't call them films, but, you know, video stuff. And I would I got a little projector and I would project him on the ceiling so that he could also experience the outside. And, yeah, I just loved that. I loved the ability of, you know, showing things to people in a room or a space. And, yeah, I think that was the beginning of it.

[3:38] Robert Bannon: I love the journey that it takes as a filmmaker. At what point, if you may, if I may ask you personally, what made you decide to leave Morocco and how hard was it to leave the home that you knew and your family? I'm sure for dreams and ambitions and something outside of this, outside of the country. How hard was it?

[3:59] Meriem Sakrouhi: It was it was pretty hard because I was just used to, you know, living with my family. I have two siblings. My youngest sibling was only five years old. We have a big gap between us. And I was like, oh, I kept feeling like I'm not going to be there while he grows up and I really want to be there. So I ended up signing up for school in Morocco and college in Morocco and did like you needed to do some tests. I did the test. I got in and I went on a trip to the north of Morocco with my family. And then I got an email that I also applied to other schools. So I got an email from the colleges in Spain, Barcelona and Madrid saying that they accepted me for architecture and something clicked. I just felt like I needed to do it.

I just I looked at my dad and I was like, I think I should go to Spain. And he was like he was so excited. He was like, yes, let's do it. Let's go. My mom was not happy. She was like, we just got here. But, yeah, it was I think it was scary and thrilling at the same time. And once I got to Spain, you know, I immediately felt like that it was the right choice. I always had film in mind. And although I started with architecture, I always thought it's my it's my journey to get into film. So for me, leaving made sense because of that.

[5:24] Robert Bannon: It's funny because as I was getting ready to talk to you, I was reading about you and I was like an architect and a filmmaker. And then there was a part of me that understood it in a weird world. There's a connection between architecture and filmmaking is both an art, but there's also a scientific element, a mathematical element. It's not just all creative and fun. There is there is another part where you're like, I'm the boss. I got to make sure this house is going to stand and I got to make sure this movie is going to be made. What's the connection between the two for you? Why do you love both of them?

[5:54] Meriem Sakrouhi: I think you said it so well. There is definitely the part of the collaborative part where an architect is almost like a director in a film. You have to work with the engineers. You have to work with so many consultants. You have to work with other architects. And it's just like you need a team to make a building happen. You need to work with the general contractor and this and that. And without all of those people's expertise, there's no way that that building is going to be built. I think it's similarly in film, like you need to have all the different departments and be able to work with them for a film to come together. And I think it's also the beauty of it. I've really enjoyed working with different, you know, the different fields within architecture and same with film.

And also, I think that there's something about architecture and architecture school that is really about teaching you how to see spaces critically. And in a way, because I was thinking about this question as I've been asked about it. And I really think that the way it translates is my eye was very trained throughout my years in architecture. And then now film is about kind of showing your vision to the world. So you take that vision that I trained with architecture and kind of like export it into the world. So I think there's definitely something there that overlaps.

[7:17] Robert Bannon: We're talking right now today, everybody. Montaxi is you could go to the website while we're talking. And if you happen to be in the neighborhood, there's a whole bunch of screenings and a whole bunch of awards and a whole bunch of fun, exciting events happening. We're going to get into it right now about how this film came to be. But Holly Short's on August 16th. And then, you know, right. You're going to Rhode Island. There's a Rhode Island Film Festival that it's at as well. It's an eight and a half minute film. So it's a short. And you're now in conversations or talks or planning to make this into a feature or a doc feature. Why why did you make it a short? And why did you feel. Let's start there. Why did you make. Why. Why a short?

[8:01] Meriem Sakrouhi: I thought of it as well, first of all, I when I was making it, I was really not making it with anything else in mind than myself and like healing myself through going through grief. And I wanted to give a little short that I come back to. So I was kind of like I not force myself. I it was a passion project. I told myself, OK, you know what? I have all these voicemails that I started recording that made me feel good to talk to my dad. And I have all this footage that I started shooting that also has to do with with places that I wanted to show him or places him and I have been that, you know, people will not know. But I have been to those streets with my dad. So he means a lot to me. And then when I had all of that collection, I was thinking, you know, it will be a good exercise for me to, like, use my medium of film of making something.

[9:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Thank you for having me, Robert. I'm really excited to be here and talk about my film, Mon Taxi.

[9:48] Robert Bannon: Absolutely! So, let's dive right in. Mon Taxi is such a personal project for you. Can you share what inspired you to create this documentary?

[10:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Yes, it’s deeply personal. The film is inspired by my relationship with my late father. It revolves around the everyday ritual of making a phone call home, which becomes a way to explore themes of grief, memory, and family.

[10:48] Robert Bannon: That sounds incredibly moving. How did you transform such a personal experience into a piece of art?

[11:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: It was a journey, for sure. I wanted to capture the essence of those moments and the conversations we have with our loved ones, even after they’re gone. It’s about keeping those connections alive through memory.

[11:48] Robert Bannon: I love that concept. It’s so relatable. Can you tell us a bit about your transition from architecture to filmmaking?

[12:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Absolutely! I studied architecture, and while I loved it, I found that storytelling was my true passion. Filmmaking allows me to combine my love for design and narrative in a way that architecture couldn’t.

[12:48] Robert Bannon: That’s fascinating! And Mon Taxi is only eight minutes long, but you’ve mentioned it carries a much bigger story. Can you elaborate on that?

[13:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Yes, the film is short, but it encapsulates a lifetime of memories and emotions. I believe that even in a brief format, you can convey profound experiences and connections that resonate with viewers.

[13:48] Robert Bannon: It sounds like you’ve really captured something special. What do you hope audiences take away from Mon Taxi?

[14:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: I hope they feel a sense of connection and reflection on their own relationships. Grief is universal, and I want people to understand that it’s okay to keep talking to those we’ve lost.

[14:48] Robert Bannon: That’s such an important message. It’s a beautiful way to honor your father’s memory.

[15:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Thank you, Robert. It means a lot to me. I think art has a unique power to heal and bring people together.

[15:48] Robert Bannon: Absolutely! And I can’t wait for everyone to see Mon Taxi. What’s next for you after this project?

[16:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: I’m currently exploring new stories and ideas. I want to continue creating films that resonate on a personal level while also addressing broader themes.

[16:48] Robert Bannon: That sounds exciting! I look forward to seeing what you come up with next. Thank you so much for joining me today, Meriem.

[17:18] Meriem Sakrouhi: Thank you for having me, Robert! It was a pleasure.