Nabil Ayouch - Wikipedia

Nabil Ayouch

Franco-Moroccan television and film director, producer, and writer

Nabil Ayouch

Born () 1 April (age&#;55)

Paris, France

NationalityMoroccan
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, and screenwriter
Years&#;active–present
Notable workLes Pierres bleues du désert ()
SpouseMaryam Touzani
FatherNoureddine Ayouch&#;[fr]

Nabil Ayouch (born 1 April ) is a Franco-Moroccan television and film director, producer, and writer.

My land Nabil Ayouch (born 1 April ) is a Franco-Moroccan television and film director, producer, and writer. His films have been screened at international film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival.

His films have been screened at international film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival.

Early life

Ayouch was born in in Paris, to a Moroccan father, Noureddine Ayouch&#;[fr] and a French mother of Tunisian-Jewish descent. His brother is fellow director Hicham Ayouch.

After his parents' divorce, he spent a large part of his childhood in the suburb of Sarcelles,[1][2] visiting Casablanca in the summers.[3]

Ayouch cites discovering international cinema at the local cultural center, Forum des Cholettes, as inspiring his filmmaking career.[3]

Film career

Ayouch started his career as a scriptwriter and director with the advertising agency Euro-RSCG.

Film ali zaoua nabil ayouch biography Ali Zaoua is a Moroccan film which reflects the pain of poverty, homelessness, child abuse and prostitution in Moroccan society. The film has been described as magical realism, in the sense of how the stark reality of the children’s lives interweaves with their rich fantasy life. [3].

In , he directed Les Pierres bleues du désert, a first short film with Jamel Debbouze which tells the history of a young man convinced that there are large blue stones in the desert.

In , Ayourch ended up settling in Casablanca, where he directed two short films, Hertzienne Connexion () and Vendeur de silence (), for which he received international recognition.

In , Ayouch directed his first feature film Mektoub, which represented Morocco at the Oscars. He also directed the feature films Une Minute de soleil en moins () and Whatever Lola Wants (), produced by Pathé.[4]

In , Ayouch created a production company called Ali n'Productions to aid aspiring young directors in establishing their careers.[1][5][4] He won the Ecumenical Award in in the Montreal World Film Festival for his film Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets.[6] Ayouch is set to produce the French-Moroccan thriller film Mirages.[7]

Ayouch's film Horses of God is based on Mahi Binebine’s novel The Stars of Sidi Moumen. In Horses of God, Ayouch explores the radicalization that can occur from poverty and extreme machismo, alluding to the Casablanca bombings.

The film competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival.[8][9] It was also Morocco's submission for the 85th Academy Awards (held in February ).

In , Ayouch's film Casablanca Beats was selected for the 74th Cannes Film Festival competition.[10]

Ayouch is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures, the Académie des Césars, and the Arab Film Academy.[4]

Controversy

Ayouch's film Much Loved, which takes place in Marrakesh, caused a stir due to its unsimulated sex scenes especially the scene where Loubna Abidar performed an unsimulated fellatio on a man.[11] The movie was ultimately banned in Morocco.[12]

Personal life

Ayouch works and lives in Casablanca.[4] He is married to fellow Moroccan filmmaker and actress Maryam Touzani.[13]

Filmography

As director

As writer

As producer

  • Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets (associate producer)
  • Tiwarga (TV Movie)
  • Heart Edges
  • Houti Houta (TV Movie)
  • L'Equipe (The Team) (TV Series)
  • Al ferka (TV Series)
  • 3ichk al baroud (TV Movie)
  • Mirages
  • My Land (Documentary)
  • Zinat Al Hayat (TV Series) (executive producer)
  • Quand ils dorment (Short)
  • Horses of God
  • Une bonne leçon (TV Movie) (line producer: Morocco)
  • C'est eux les chiens
  • Much Loved
  • Aji-Bi (Documentary)
  • All Three of Us (line producer: Morocco)
  • Aya Goes to the Beach (Short)
  • Pluie de sueur
  • Zwaj El Waqt (TV Movie documentary)
  • Wadrari (Documentary)
  • Adam
  • The Blue Caftan

Decorations

Further reading

  • Jonathan Smolin, "Nabil Ayouch: Transgression, Identity, and Difference" in: Josef Gugler (ed.), Ten Arab Filmmakers: Political Dissent and Social Critique, Indiana University Press, , ISBN&#;, pp –

References

External links