It was last night that the film markets took place High and strong of Moroccan director Nabil Ayouchonly Arab film in official competition at this 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival which takes place from July 6 to 17, 2021.
This is the first time that a Moroccan fictional feature has been selected to try to win the Palme d’Or. For many years, the only Moroccan film selected in official competition had been the documentary Souls and rhythms from Abdelaziz Ramdani in 1962.
Nabil Ayouch, accompanied by his wife, The screenwriter and director Maryam Touzani And some members of the film team, arrived yesterday on the famous red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival, where they were welcomed by the general delegate Thierry Frémaux.
At the end of the projection, a very long ovation of several minutes. Very moved, Nabil Ayouch pronounced a few words to thank the various spectators and guests: “I learned to look at the world in a cultural center like this one, about forty years ago in the Parisian suburbs, and I think that I would not be in front of you today if I had not been there, if I had not understood that the arts and culture could change a life and upset a destiny. And find myself 40 years later on the other side of the Mediterranean with (these young people) their talents and with their rage, their desires and their energy and I would like to thank them a thousand times because I have the impression that there is a loop that loops today. And I am obviously very moved by thinking of all this ”.
For Nabil Ayouch, being part of this official competition is a real consecration, although he had already participated in the Cannes Film Festival in the past. His beautiful movie God’s horses had been selected in the Un Certain Regard section in 2012 and its very controversial film Much Loved At the Directors’ Fifteen in 2015. In addition, in 2019, Nabil Ayouch, as a Coscenarist and producer, had accompanied his wife, Maryam Touzani whose very moving film Adam was in competition in the a certain look selection.
Synopsis
Anas, a former rapper, is engaged in a cultural center of a popular district of Casablanca. Encouraged by their new teacher, young people will try to free themselves from the weight of certain traditions to live their passion and express themselves through hip hop culture….
Neïla Driss
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