Laila Marrakchi (born 10 December 1975) is a Franco-Moroccan filmmaker. Most known for her drama film Marock (2005).
Laïla Marrakchi | |
|---|---|
| ليلى المراكشي | |
 Marrakchi in 2006 | |
| Born | 10 December 1975 |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Notable work | Marock |
| Spouse | Alexandre Aja |
Career
editMarrakchi 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]
In May 2026, Marrakchi was named among the six honorees for the Women in Cinema Gala hosted by the Red Sea Film Foundation during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. [6]
Personal life
editMarrakchi is married to French filmmaker Alexandre Aja, son of filmmaker Alexandre Arcady.[7]
Filmography
editFeature films
edit| Year | English Title | Original Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Marock | |
| 2013 | Rock the Casbah | |
| 2026 | Strawberries | La más dulce |
Short films
edit- L' Horizon perdu (2000)
- 200 Dirhams (2002)
- Momo mambo (2003)
Documentaries
edit- Femmes en royaume chérifien (2001)
- Derrière les portes du hammam (2001)
- Zwaj El Waqt (2017)
Television
edit- The Bureau (2015-2018)
- The Eddy (2020), episodes 5 and 6
- L'Opéra (2021)
- Carême (2025)
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Le phénomène « Marock » – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
- ↑ "La vie de la famille Oufkir au cinéma". Bladi.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-12-17.
- ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Marock". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- ↑ "Rock the Casbah, nouveau film de Laila Marrakchi". Bladi.net (in French). Retrieved 2018-12-17.
- ↑ Rothe, E. Nina. "Laila Marrakchi on returning to the Atlas Workshops with her highly anticipated 'La Más Dulce'". Screen. Retrieved 2026-03-24.
- ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (2026-05-13). "'The Eddy' Director Laïla Marrakchi, Nigerian Actress-Producer Genevieve Nnaji & Indian Actress-Singer Tara Sutaria Among Honorees For Red Sea Film Foundation's Women In Cinema Gala". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
- ↑ "« Rock the Casbah » – Laïla Marrakchi : « Les Marocains sont condamnés à la schizophrénie »". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
External links
edit
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