DREAMLAND

Anyone who emigrates leaves a piece of themselves behind in their homeland. There is always an empty space: a space that must be filled during the summer holiday. During those weeks, the children of migrants are exposed to the best parts of their mother country, are suddenly surrounded by family members on a daily basis and get to see the loveliest places. Their homeland begins to resemble an ideal world.

This also applies to photographer Mounir Raji. For him, the summer holidays spent in Morocco were like a dream. It was something he looked forward to all year. So how could it be that his family in Morocco dreamed of a life in the Netherlands? With that in mind and his camera in hand, Raji spent much of the past five years travelling around Morocco. He found what he was missing in the Netherlands, met people who looked like him and immersed himself in places that no tourists ever visit. The result is a unique photo book and a glimpse of Raji's own DREAMLAND. It reveals the daily life that fascinates and feels like an idyllic fantasy. It is about the sense of warmth and safety you have when you are reunited with family, the elated feeling of being able to endlessly play outdoors, the sensations of colors and landscapes and the blazing sun on your face.

But it is also about the sensations of trust, freedom and hope. This dreamland is one in which you can be completely yourself.

Photography

Links

Mounir's website

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DOCUMENTARY MOUNIR RAJI - DREAMLAND
EPISODE 1 of 4

Director - Suzanne Koopstra
D.O.P. - Sami El Hassani
Production Company - UNDERSCORE
Executive Producer - Willem Beelaerts van Blokland
Executive producer Cameranu - Maruan Hassan
Producer - Rox Patawala
Producer - Matthijs Los
Producer Morocco - Sidi Mohamed Banouj
Camera assistent - Maruan Hassan
Gaffer - Tara Bisoen
Sound engineer - Max Oostveen
Art - Zino Bakker
Art assistent - Melissa JVK
Bestboy - Pramesh Sewgobind
PA - Noud Wellink
PA - Cas Velthuis
Animation intro - Jurriaan de Groot
Art book intro - Mies Bongenaar
Edit - Willem Beelaerts van Blokland
Colorgrading - Koert van der Ploeg
Music - Cengiz Arslanpay
Audiomix - Gooi & Vecht Studio
Poet - Rachad Debdoubi
Special thanks: Visionary Agency, Mama, Samir, Wail, Mahir & Ilyas, Isa, Alae, Peter Frank Heuseveldt & Sybren Kuiper

DOCUMENTARY MOUNIR RAJI - DREAMLAND
EPISODE 2 of 4

DOCUMENTARY MOUNIR RAJI - DREAMLAND
EPISODE 3 of 4

DOCUMENTARY MOUNIR RAJI - DREAMLAND
EPISODE 4 of 4

Credits

Mounir Raji

Photographer and director

Directing Photography

Monique van Hooff

Visionary Agency