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For My Best Family
Artist
Year2024
Medium
Location

For My Best Family was a 2024 art exhibition by Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki, funded by the Milan host facility Fondazione Prada. Developed over a two-year period, it featured two components on different levels of the Prada, a mechanical installation named Sole Crushing and a computer-animated film entitled For Aicha. The latter revisited the universe of Bennani and Barki's 2020 web series 2 Lizards, and was the first animated feature produced in Morocco.

The exhibition ran at the Prada premises between 31 October 2024 and 24 February 2025, and was well-received by Italian outlets. Both portions of Family resurfaced as separate attractions in late 2025: an extended version of Aicha which received festival release as the retitled Bouchra, and a standalone edition of Sole Crushing that debuted in Paris.

Overview

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For My Best Family was held across two levels of Milan's Fondazione Prada during its run. The ground floor was occupied by a mechanical installation named Sole Crushing, while the upstairs Cinema Godard section on the first floor showed a computer-animated film entitled For Aicha.[1][2][3]

Sole Crushing comprised no fewer than 190 flip-flops laid out across six platforms,[2][4] which "slap against panels, creating a riotous, polyphonic composition and choreography....Most of them face a small, central podium bearing a single pair of flip-flops whose slapping movements are occasionally isolated, creating a sense of conversation between an individual and a crowd."[2] For Aicha—the 73-minute progenitor of what became Bouchra[5][6][7]—told the story of a 35-year-old queer Moroccan canid filmmaker[8][9][a] coming to terms with her sexuality and career through a series of phone calls to her Casablanca mother.[11] Sole Crushing's sound played during Aicha, particularly during the plot's "points of tension": "As the two main characters reach their resolution, so does the composition of the footwear when they finish their symphony."[14]

Development

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With funding from the Fondazione Prada, Meriem Bennani worked on For My Best Family over a two-year period,[15] with different collaborators on each portion: Sole Crushing featured Reba Senhaji (a musician performing as Cheb Runner),[2][16][17] while For Aicha reunited her with creative partner Orian Barki (with whom she co-created the 2020 web series 2 Lizards).[8] All three were natives of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: Bennani and Runner from Morocco,[17][18] and Barki from Tel Aviv, Israel.[19] In response to Prada's development deal, Bennani insisted that the exhibition include a feature film.[20]

Family was Bennani's "first solo exhibit in an Italian institution."[4] In Prada's promotion, she discussed the two components thus:

"[O]ne of the central themes of For My Best Family is knowing how to be together, wondering where a person begins and ends. The film focuses on a mother and daughter learning to be together, while in the installation the concept is more abstract and refers to collectivity in a broader sense, nonverbal moments of encounter in which there seems to be a force that takes the form of a multiform body. Like a puppet, the multitude becomes a single thing, a single voice, a single way of acting, and everyone knows exactly what they have to do at that moment, rhythmically or singing, for example how to use their bodies and stomp their feet. I like to use animation as a means of questioning togetherness and what it means to be alive."[21]

For Aicha was the first animated feature produced in Morocco,[12] and was set in the same universe as 2 Lizards.[2] Nearly 20 crew members in New York City animated the film on the Blender platform[6][12] under a budget[12] and 11⁄2-year deadline;[22] motion capture was also used.[22] Online videos of fans at Casablanca football matches served as Bennani's inspiration for Sole Crushing.[20]

Another 2 Lizards crew member, Flavien Berger, worked on the music in Aicha.[20] Influenced by Berber customs[23] and based on his initial perception of the characters,[24] Berger's score would eventually bring Who Framed Roger Rabbit to mind for Bennani and Barki.[24] Runner composed the cues heard in Aicha's Casablanca radio broadcasts;[20] he and Bennani also wrote the 45-minute backing track for Sole Crushing.[2][16]

Themes

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The two components of Family "explore the centrality of human relationships, whether familial or collective,"[25] and "seek to understand the dynamics of being connected, like a family,"[14] while also recalling the artistic traits of early 20th-century animation.[4] Both use breathing as a metaphorical motif:[4] Sole Crushing uses pneumatic pumps,[4] while Aicha's protagonist Bouchra takes shots of Ventolin to cope with her asthma symptoms.[4][26] A writer for Italy's designboom noted the mutual relationships present in both components: Bouchra depends on Aicha, while the shoes depend on the pneumatic system that operates them.[14]

The exhibition's title is referenced in one of the film's last lines, spoken by Bouchra's aunt:[27] "I am really good because I am here with my best family."[5] Bennani admitted that this sentence "is grammatically incorrect" in English, but she and the Aicha team left it in the dialogue since it is open to interpretations by the viewer.[5]

Tenure

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For My Best Family received its earliest mention in a late January 2024 article on Italian art site RED•EYE.[28] The names of Family's two components were revealed in Mexico's Noir Magazine by late July,[29] and Italy's Artribune the following month.[30] Following a preview on 30 October,[6][31] the Fondazione Prada held Bennani and Barki's exhibit between 31 October 2024 and 24 February 2025.[30][b]

Reception

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Family was well-received by Italian arts outlets. The staff of Gilt Magazine said on its opening day, "If you are passionate about contemporary art or simply curious, [this exhibition] offers a must-see opportunity to explore the new boundaries of art and visual storytelling."[32] Laura McLean-Ferris of Mousse magazine wrote, "Sole Crushing is a moving, thrilling piece of work, but gains even more nuance from its pairing with For Aicha."[2] Ilaria Introzzi of Espoarte called Family "an act of love by the Moroccan artist [Bennani], towards herself and visitors. She devotes herself to both portions, free of towering complications."[33] Near the end of its run, Jace Clayton of 4Columns approved of its welcoming atmosphere despite the Prada building's "austere and unwelcoming" design.[34]

Legacy

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In late 2025, the two components of For My Best Family resurfaced separately across different venues.[20] An extended 83-minute edit of For Aicha entered the festival circuit under a new name, Bouchra,[5][7][35][36] while Sole Crushing was relaunched in a different configuration at Paris' Lafayette Anticipations on 22 October.[37][38]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Depending on the source, Bouchra has been described as a jackal (during the 2024 Prada release)[1][8][10] or coyote (during the 2025 festival run).[9][11][12][13]
  2. ↑ Prada's official page listed 26 February as the intended end date.[21]

References

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  1. 1 2 "For My Best Family (Art)". hube. 31 October 2024. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McLean-Ferris, Laura (2 December 2024). "Reviews: Meriem Bennani, 'For My Best Family' at Fondazione Prada, Milan". Mousse Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 January 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Muraben, Billie (28 November 2024). "Art Review: Breathing to Life: Meriem Bennani at Fondazione Prada". Canvas Online. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Baranello, Alessia (7 November 2024). "Il cinema d'animazione è una storia di resistenza politica". Lampoon Magazine (in Italian). Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Caravita, Irene (31 October 2024). "Le ciabatte danzanti e il 'film nel film' di Meriem Bennani in Fondazione Prada: ecco perché la mostra dell'artista marocchina è imperdibile". Architectural Digest Italia (in Italian). Edizioni Condé Nast s.p.a. Archived from the original on 16 January 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Kamegawa, Annalise (3 November 2024). "Feature · For My Best Family, Meriem Bennani at Fondazione Prada". NR. WhiteCirc Ltd. Archived from the original on 15 July 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 Wilk, Elvia (1 October 2025). "Scripting Intimacy: Meriem Bennani and the Art of Animating Reality". Hyundai Artlab. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 Tan, Lumi (2024). "Meriem Bennani". CURA. Vol. 43. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  9. 1 2 Garcia, Lawrence (16 September 2025). "Bouchra — Orian Barki & Meriem Bennani [TIFF '25 Review]". In Review Online. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  10. ↑ Nouri, Selma (19 December 2024). "Art & Photography: Nothing is silly to Meriem Bennani". Dazed MENA. Archived from the original on 5 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  11. 1 2 Mobarak, Jared (5 September 2025). "TIFF Review: Bouchra is an Aesthetically Bold, Personal Animation". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Lang, Jamie (5 September 2025). "'Spit and Duct Tape and Dreams': How a Small Global Team Built the Queer CG Feature 'Bouchra,' Premiering in Toronto". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on 8 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  13. ↑ Birnam, J Don (7 October 2025). "Could 'Bouchra' Qualify for Best Animated Feature? A Look at the Moroccan Film That Blurs the Line Between Live Action and Animation". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 burgos, matthew (30 October 2024). "mechanized flip-flops beat their 'drums' in meriem bennani's exhibition at fondazione prada". designboom. DAAily platforms AG. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Exhibitions: Meriem Bennani 'For My Best Family' at Fondazione Prada, Milan". Mousse Magazine. 18 November 2024. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  16. 1 2 Luquet-Gad, Ingrid (20 October 2025). "Numéro Art: L'artiste Meriem Bennani dirige un orchestre de sandales à Lafayette Anticipations". Numéro (in French). Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  17. 1 2 Kamegawa, Annalise June; Kirszenbaum, Martha (3 January 2025). "Reportage: Cheb Runner, composer of Meriem Bennani's Sole Crushing". Novembre. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  18. ↑ Kaabi, Amina (16 October 2025). "Culture: Meriem Bennani Has a Way with Reality". GQ Middle East. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  19. ↑ Katz, David (10 September 2025). "Toronto 2025 Platform — Review: Bouchra". Cineuropa. MEDIA (Creative Europe). Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Mang, Lolita (21 October 2025). "À Paris, cette exposition gratuite va vous donner envie… de danser !". Vogue France (in French). Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  21. 1 2 "Milano: For My Best Family (Meriem Bennani)". Fondazione Prada (in Italian). 31 October 2024. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  22. 1 2 Skye, Louis (3 October 2025). "TIFF25 Review: The gorgeously-animated Bouchra takes meta films to another level". FlickSided. Minute Media. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  23. ↑ Boisteault, Jeanne (18 October 2025). "[#Nous avons vu] BOUCHRA". #HASHTAG INFOS (in French). Campus Universitaire de La Roche-sur-Yon. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  24. 1 2 "Q&A with Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani". Le Cinéma Club. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  25. ↑ Viapiana, Alessandro (7 November 2024). "'For My Best Family', Meriem Bennani at Fondazione Prada with an immersive experience". L'Officiel Ibiza. AMTD. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  26. ↑ Manzotti, Giovanna (5 February 2025). "Must-See: Meriem Bennani's Flip-Flop Orchestra". Frieze. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  27. ↑ Virgilio, Clarissa (19 November 2024). "Meriem Bennani: For My Best Family | Fondazione Prada, Milano". ATP DIARY (in Italian). Archived from the original on 5 December 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  28. ↑ Cappelletti, Gloria Maria (26 January 2024). "2024 at Fondazione Prada: Your Complete Guide to This Year's Highlights — Meriem Bennani's Visionary Art: A Fusion of Animation and Installation at Fondazione Prada Milan". RED•EYE Metazine. Milan. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  29. ↑ Escobar, Isamar (30 July 2024). "Arte y Cultura: Fondazione Prada presenta exposición de Meriem Bennani 'For My Best Family'". NOIR. (in Spanish). The Fashion Group. Archived from the original on 6 September 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  30. 1 2 Giaume, Giulia (7 August 2024). "Realismo magico, umorismo e animali antropomorfi. Meriem Bennani sarà in mostra da Fondazione Prada a Milano". Artribune (in Italian). Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  31. ↑ Fondazione Prada (31 August 2024). "Mostre in autunno 2024 | 'For My Best Family', Meriem Bennani alla Fondazione Prada, Milano". ATP DIARY (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 June 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  32. ↑ "Meriem Bennani a Fondazione Prada con 'For My Best Family'". Gilt Magazine (in Italian). Kalani srl. 31 October 2024. Archived from the original on 22 May 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  33. ↑ Introzzi, Ilaria (2 December 2024). "Meriem Bennani For My Best Family. Da Fondazione Prada a Milano". Espoarte (in Italian). Associazione Culturale Arteam. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  34. ↑ Clayton, Jace (24 January 2025). "Visual Art — Meriem Bennani: A show at the Fondazione Prada in Milan renders visceral the pleasures of pure percussion". 4Columns. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  35. ↑ Zilko, Christian (7 August 2025). "NYFF Reveals 2025 Currents Lineup, Including New Films by Tsai Ming-liang and Radu Jude". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  36. ↑ Keogan, Natalia (29 September 2025). "'We Knew This Chemistry Is Something That We Could Count On': Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki on Bouchra". Filmmaker Magazine. The Gotham. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  37. ↑ Laurent de Sortiraparis (21 October 2025). "Sole Crushing by Meriem Bennani: our photos of the immersive installation at Lafayette Anticipations". Sortir à Paris. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  38. ↑ Kirszenbaum, Martha (7 November 2025). "Meriem Bennani à Lafayette Anticipations : 'Tout est culture populaire aujourd'hui'". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved 7 November 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

Bibliography

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  • Bennani, Meriem; Barki, Orian (2024). Mainetti, Mario; Gravina, Niccolò (eds.). For My Best Family: For Aicha / Sole Crushing (in English and Italian). Milan: Fondazione Prada. ISBN 978-88-87029-92-5.
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