Director's Works
Aksil Werner Vivier
BIFA-longisted writer & director based in London.
I’m really grateful to Khalil Hefaf and Seif Borin for trusting me with Aksil. It’s a story they’ve carried for a long time, drawn from their Moroccan and Tunisian heritage, and one that felt incredibly personal from the moment they shared it with me.
At its core, Aksil is about a young British-Moroccan actor trying to balance the expectations of his family with the life he’s carving out for himself. It’s specific in its setting and culture, but the questions it asks, about identity, family, and belonging, felt instantly familiar. I think that’s why the project struck such a chord with all of us involved. Its universality was the reason almost every HOD and cast member involved felt that they had something to say with the film.
Even though I come from a different background (South African-Swiss) I know that in-between feeling well. The push and pull of where you’re from and where you’re headed. That shared experience became the foundation of how Khalil, Seif, and I approached the film together.
