In an interview with Hespress English, Moroccan director Asmae El Moudir expressed her immense pride in becoming the first Moroccan to win the grand prize of the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM), The Etoile d’Or.
The director, a pure Moroccan product, studied filmmaking in the ISCA film school of Rabat, then pursued a master’s degree at the higher institute of information and communication, ISIC.
After making short feature films and experiencing working in TV, she integrated the FIFM Atlas Workshops, a talent program implemented by the festival’s foundation, to support Arab and African filmmakers.
“After twenty years, I won the first Golden Star for Morocco. This won’t go to the Menara airport, it will say here in Morocco and go with me to Rabat. I’m so grateful to the jury for understanding what I mean,” said El Moudir.
Her documentary received critical acclaim all over the world, for diving into a sensitive side of Morocco’s history and paying tribute to many lost souls.
“We should work harder and harder to get more golden stars, I’m really grateful for King Mohammed VI for creating both the festival and the Atlas Workshops in which I first pitched my film,” explained El Moudir.
On the international audience’s perception of her very historical and political Moroccan story, the director said that screening her movie in Morocco just feels different and that wherever she went all over the world, festival goals and programmers always asked her about what Moroccans think of her film.
“I dedicate this to all the martyrs of 1981, all of those in the bread riots,” stated the Etoil d’Or winner.
Her winning docudrama “Mother of all Lies”, won L’oeil d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, alongside other grand accolades in international festivals, but has never been screened in Morocco until this week.
The story, turning around lead years, took ten years to make and has now become the first Moroccan film ever to win FIFM’s Etoile d’Or.
The historical win marks a significant milestone for Moroccan cinema lovers, students, and emerging professionals who dream of being in Asmae’s place.
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