The Fume of Sighs
Maryse, 83, was born in Marseille. In 1969, she moved with her husband Michel to Sarcelles, a suburban city in the north of Paris. In August 2017, Michel passed away. Since then, I spent some time with her. At home she mourns while emptying the apartment from a variety of objects. When we are together, we remember Michel, we talk about life, death and absence. In a sense, we became confidants of secrets, fears and anecdotes. We replaced our respective solitudes - me as a migrant, she as a widow - within stories and dreams.
This is a story about life, absence, love and friendship. It documents the uncertain experience of being alone but also the alchemy of an unpredicted encounter.
The Rugbywomen
Training day in Chantereine under the snow. In the background, the social housing buildings of Sarcelles.
Koumba, 16, is one of the best players of Chantereine High School. She lives in a social housing tower in Sarcelles.
The Rugbywomen
In January 2017, I began to follow a group of rugby players from the Chantereine High School of Sarcelles, a "banlieue" in the north of Paris. These young women use the sport as a means to overcome challenges and build self-assurance. Additionally, rugby serves as a tool to challenge preconceived notions about gender, social status, and race, while also reshaping the perception of young women residing in French banlieues.
In the Chantereine High School 86% of the students come from low-income families. They have been training together since 2014. In 2016 they were the best newcomer team of France (4th). In this picture, they prepare a travel to UK on May 2017.
Abdel waters the various vegetables in the garden of the Engraineurs
Les Engraineurs
Urban Gardeners in Sarcelles
Children are the ones who benefit the most from the Engraineurs meetings. Neighborhood party.
The Engraineurs organize between neighbors to regularly cultivate the garden.
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