The Mother of All Lies
Qumra Screenings - Qumra 2024
Asmae El Moudir / Morocco, France, Qatar / 2023 / 85 min / Colour / DCP / In Arabic / Arabic, English subtitles
Themes: Creative Documentary
Rated: 
Mature subject matter. May not be suitable for minors. Individuals under the age of 15 are not admitted into cinemas
Description
An evocative documentary offering a engrossing exploration of memory, history, and identity. Set against the backdrop of Morocco's tumultuous 1980s, particularly the Bread Riots and Years of Lead—the film uses a creative blend of interviews, miniature recreations, and doll-like figures to tell the story of El Moudir's own family. Through this innovative narrative approach, El Moudir interrogates the absence of her childhood photographs and uncovers layers of generational trauma and silence that have enveloped her family. By reconstructing her family's past within a meticulously crafted scale model of her neighbourhood, El Moudir not only brings a forgotten history to life but also prompts a reevaluation of how stories are told and remembered.
Director
Asmae El Moudir
Asmae El Moudir, born in 1990, is a director, screenwriter, and producer based in Paris and Rabat. Her educational background includes studies at La Fémis in Paris and a master's degree in production from the Superior Institute of Information and Communication in Rabat. Asmae has directed short documentaries for notable broadcasters such as SNRT, Al Jazeera Documentary, BBC, and Al Araby TV. Her films have garnered awards at festivals worldwide, showcasing her talent and vision. In 2020, she completed her first feature documentary, 'The Postcard'. 'The Mother of All Lies' marks her second feature film (2023 Winner Un Certain Regard - Best Director), further establishing her promising presence in the film industry.
Credits
- Screenwriter
- Asmae EI Moudir
- Producer
- Asmae EI Moudir
- Editor
- Asmae El Moudir, Wim Vancker, Thierry Garrel
- Music
- Nass El Ghiwane
- Cast
- Ouarda Zorquani, Mohammed El Moudir, Zahra Jdia, Said Masrour, Abdellah Zouid,