MUCH LOVED |
In French & Arabic with English subtitles. AWARDS - 2016 Henri Langlois Prize, for "Humanisme et engagement" to Nabil Ayouch REVIEWS "Much Loved" tackles sexual hypocrisy in Morocco with a battering ram. (...) Given the context, it’s surprising how much fun and how determinedly un-grim most of Much Loved is. The Guardian This spirited radiography of the Moroccan nightlife never indulges in sordid voyeurism or moral lecturing. Liberation A film both disturbing, authentic, vibrant and often joyful. Le Parisien (A) tough yet surprisingly tender tale. (…) It feels like it’s told from the empowered perspective of women, and yet it’s directed by a man. Vice A vivid, non-judgmental picture of a marginal female subculture in permanent confrontation with the male order. Screen Daily The cast’s remarkable bravery cannot be overstated, and the actresses are potent conveyors of the film’s message countering the establishment’s pietism. Variety |
ATTENTION: Much Loved is playing at the Esquire Imax Theatre! OTHER FILMS PLAYING this year at the ESQUIRE IMAX: A mesmerizing and unflinching drama following three female prostitutes in Marrakech, presenting a very different side of the glamour often associated with this city. Following its unveiling at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, the film has been banned in Morocco while director Ayouch and lead actress Loubna Abidar have received death threats. Loubna Abidar is magnetic as Noha, who, at 28, is the matriarch of a group of upscale call girls living together as a family of sorts. Hardened by life, Noha’s only vulnerability is her judgmental mother, who accepts her financial help but refuses to let her see her son. Soukaina (Halima Karaouane) still harbors romantic sentiments for a penniless suitor. Randa (Asmaa Lazrak), the youngest, could learn a lot from Noha, if only her growing attraction to women weren’t eroding the mentorship. We follow their precarious lives, with their driver and protector Said (Abdellah Didane) in tow, as they spend lucrative nights at private parties or nightclubs. Director Nabil Ayouch realistically and sensually portrays both the humiliations and joie de vivre of the three women. With its controversial gaze at masculine hypocrisy, the female body, and lesbian love, it's no wonder that the film faced intense reactions at home. Shown with Decibels by Léo Verrier PLAYING AT THE ESQUIRE IMAX THEATRE |
