A few days after collecting the best directing award for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section for The Mother of All Lies at the 76th edition of the annual film festival, Moroccan director Asmae El Moudir accepted the Golden Eye honor for her experimental documentary. El Moudir shared the top documentary prize with Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, who jointly won the L’Oeil d’or for her docu-drama Four Daughters.
The women film directors from North Africa were bestowed the honor during a packed ceremony at La Croisette on Saturday. The win automatically qualifies both films for Oscar consideration (Ben Hania’s last feature, The Man Who Sold His Skin was nominated for an Academy Award for best international film in 2021.)
In Four Daughters, Ben Hania paints a gripping picture of a mother’s anguish as her daughters become entangled with extremism. Based on a real-life story, the film features Tunisian actress Hind Sabri as Olfa Hamrouni, a Tunisian housekeeper in her forties from a poor background, who has seen her two teenage daughters become radicalized, run away, join Daesh in Libya and end up imprisoned there following an American attack.
In the double-award-winning The Mother of All Lies, El Moudir delves into her family’s history and the tumultuous events surrounding the 1981 Bread Riots in Casablanca. With no archive footage or photographs to rely on, El Moudir’s achievement in crafting her documentary is a testament to her creativity and dedication.
Through their artistry and profound narratives, El Moudir and Ben Hania both showcase the richness and diversity of storytelling in North African cinema, while leaving a lasting impact on the international film community. Bravo.
