SELECTED FOR THE SAFAR ARAB FILM DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

During the lockdown period, I took some time to reflect on the path I've been following and reassessed my ambitions and goals. For many years, I've harboured a desire to write and create a film, a dream I continually postponed, doubting my worthiness and ability to lead a creative life. Now, I'm exploring the possibility of turning this long-standing aspiration into reality.

The project that's currently capturing my focus is a feature film, tentatively titled "Wedad." It's drawn from the real-life experiences of my mother, who faced significant challenges as a young woman in Morocco. She encountered a moment in her life that demanded a nearly impossible decision: to leave her children and walk away from her life as she knew it.

This venture into screenwriting marks my initial attempt to craft a narrative for cinema and has recently been shortlisted for the SAFAR Arab Film Development Programme. This initiative, led by the distinguished British-Palestinian filmmaker, Saeed Taji Farouky, and supported by the Arab British Centre, the French Institute, and the ICA, offers a nurturing ground for filmmakers with ties to the Arab world.

Participating alongside me in this programme are Tamer Akeil, Youcef Hedjezi, Riffy Ahmed, Arij Al-Soltan, and May Ziade. Together, we're embarking on a journey to bring our unique stories and visions to a wider audience, each of us driven by a shared commitment to storytelling that resonates with both our personal and collective experiences.