Laïla Marrakchi

Laïla Marrakchi
Marrakchi in 2006
Born (1975-12-10) December 10, 1975
OccupationFilmmaker
Notable workMarock
SpouseAlexandre Aja

Laila Marrakchi (born 1975 in Casablanca) is a Franco-Moroccan filmmaker. Most known for her drama film Marock (2005).

Career

Marrakchi studied at Lyautey High School, a French high school in Casablanca.[1] She holds a Master's degree in Film and Audiovisual Studies from Paris III University.

She assisted the director on various films and directed her first short film in 2000, L’Horizon perdu. Two documentaries later (Femmes en royaume chérifien and Derrière les portes du hammam in 2001), another short film, Deux cents dirhams, was presented at the Namur International Francophone Film Festival in 2002.

Her first feature film, Marock (2005), was produced in 2004 and screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.[2] It portrays the privileged youth of Casablanca, with their Westernized customs, but confronted by the prejudices of traditional society when a first love brings a young Muslim woman and a young Jewish man together.[3]

Her second feature film, Rock the Casbah (2013), had its premiere at the Special Presentation section in the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[4] In another personal tale about her native Casablanca, starring Arab popular actors Nadine Labaki, Hiam Abbass and Omar Sharif.

Her upcoming feature film, Strawberries, will follow the Moroccan diaspora in Spain.[5]

Personal life

Marrakchi is married to French filmmaker Alexandre Aja, son of filmmaker Alexandre Arcady.[6]

Filmography

Feature films

Year English Title Original Title Notes
2005 Marock
2013 Rock the Casbah
TBA Strawberries La más dulce Post-production

Short films

  • L' Horizon perdu (2000)
  • 200 Dirhams (2002)
  • Momo mambo (2003)

Documentaries

  • Femmes en royaume chérifien (2001)
  • Derrière les portes du hammam (2001)
  • Zwaj El Waqt (2017)

Television

See also

References

  1. ^ "Le phénomène « Marock » – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  2. ^ "La vie de la famille Oufkir au cinéma". Bladi.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  3. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Marock". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  4. ^ "Rock the Casbah, nouveau film de Laila Marrakchi". Bladi.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  5. ^ Rothe, E. Nina. "Laila Marrakchi on returning to the Atlas Workshops with her highly anticipated 'La Más Dulce'". Screen. Retrieved 2026-03-24.
  6. ^ "« Rock the Casbah » – Laïla Marrakchi : « Les Marocains sont condamnés à la schizophrénie »". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2019-02-06.