Principal photography has begun on The Hourglass, the new feature by Kim Nguyen, with shooting having started on 16 March on the Canary Islands. The production is set to move to Morocco at the end of April before wrapping in Montréal in mid-May.

Based on a true story, the film adapts Édith Blais’s memoir recounting her 450 days in captivity in the Sahara. The project stars Marine Johnson (Drunken Birds) and Luca Colucci (French Film, Whisper in the Dark), who portray Blais and her partner, Luca Tacchetto.

The narrative follows two young travellers embarking on an overland journey from Spain to Togo that takes a dramatic turn when they are abducted by jihadist forces in Mali. Held captive in the desert for over a year, they ultimately attempt a desperate escape. Framed as a suspense-driven drama, the film explores existential questions around survival, dignity, love and the human condition under extreme circumstances.

Producer Pierre Even highlighted the central performances, noting the “transcendent presence” of Colucci and the “incomparable” chemistry between the two leads, which he said fully conveys the emotional intensity of the real-life ordeal.

Blais herself visited the set on the Canary Islands, which were selected for their geographical resemblance to the African landscapes depicted in the feature. Reflecting on the experience, she described it as both emotionally resonant and unexpectedly comforting, suggesting her contribution to the production was more “abstract” than anticipated, yet deeply meaningful.

The Hourglass marks Nguyen’s ninth feature, following internationally acclaimed titles such as War Witch, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and earned an Academy Award nomination; Two Lovers and a Bear (Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes); Eye on Juliet (the Venice Film Festival's Giornate degli Autori, where it received the European Critics’ Award); and The Hummingbird Project, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The film is being produced by Even for Canada’s Item 7, with backing from SODEC, Telefilm Canada, Fonds Québecor and Société Radio-Canada, and benefits from Canary Islands tax incentives. Jérôme Vidal, of Noodles Productions, co-produces on the French side. Canadian distribution will be handled by Les Films Opale and Entract Films, with a theatrical release planned for 2027.

Montréal-based Item 7, led by Even, has built a strong international profile with award-winning productions including Café de Flore by Jean-Marc Vallée and the Oscar-nominated titles War Witch and Brooklyn, and continues to develop a slate combining auteur-driven cinema with broad audience appeal.