What inspired me to write about this period was a deep sense of duty. I consider it important to talk about this era, because it is still too little exploited in cinema. It’s a story that I’ve carried with me for fifty years, since I started film school. As a child, in my grandparents’ house, I saw hidden weapons, which allowed me to experience this period of resistance a little. Growing up, I always wanted to pay homage to him.
Few films really address the period of Moroccan independence, even though it is a crucial moment in the country’s history. For me, it was essential to show the struggle of the Moroccan people. In reality, it was Moroccans as a whole – men and women, from all regions of the Kingdom – who led this fight for independence. This popular and collective dimension was at the heart of my project. I also wanted to give the public an emotional experience, to make them feel what Moroccans learned through their history books, but also what their grandparents passed on to them from generation to generation.
It is not so much the historical aspect that interests me, because I am not a historian, but the enthusiasm and hope which animated an entire people during this decisive period. What I was looking for above all was to bring deep and authentic emotions to life, so that everyone, even if they did not live through that time, could feel this passion, this drive for independence, and understand this that she represented for Morocco and its people.
– Why did you opt for voyeurism through the character of the Little Child to tell your story throughout the film? How does this particular perspective enrich the film’s narrative?
The idea of telling the story through the voyeurism of the Little Child comes from the fact that, when we are children, we are always a bit of a voyeur by nature. Curiosity is a force that pushes us to observe and discover things while hiding, sometimes without really understanding what we see. The character of Kamal embodies this pure curiosity. Kamal is fascinated by his neighbor, and this fascination evolves into platonic love. He hides to observe her, until they become friends, and he guides her through the terraces while participating in the resistance against the French guards. Through this character, I wanted to explore emotion, inspired by the stories of former resistance fighters, and show how the innocence of childhood mixes with the struggles of the time.
This choice of perspective allows you to tell the story through your eyes, to see the world through your discoveries and observations. Kamal moves between the terraces of Fez, and everything in the film is seen and experienced through his child’s eyes. In fact, I had heard that around that time of independence, a child actually played a key role in helping to hide weapons, just by moving across these terraces. This detail inspired me and was the trigger for building my film around this young character, who, through his curiosity, becomes a witness to History.
– What does the title “Fez Summer 55” symbolize?
The title “Fez Summer 55” refers to the year 1955, a significant period in Moroccan history, just before independence. That year represented not only a political turning point, but also an era of profound social transformation. The title also evokes the expression “Khamsa or Khamsine”, which symbolizes a form of freedom, particularly through dance and bodily expression. The number, “5”, is also associated with protection against the evil eye in Moroccan culture, thus bringing a double meaning to the title. In short, “Fez Summer 55” embodies a moment of liberation and protection, both historically and culturally.
– How did you work to do justice to the importance of the role of women in this key period of Moroccan History?
Women truly played a crucial role in Morocco’s struggle for independence. Unfortunately, after independence, their contribution was largely forgotten and ignored by official historical accounts. However, these women were major actors in the process of national liberation. Many women sacrificed their lives for the cause, some took up arms, others risked their lives to provide them, but all were fully committed to this struggle for freedom. They fought alongside men, but often their role was minimized or invisible in traditional stories. It was important for me to reestablish this truth and pay tribute to these courageous women who were forgotten, but who were nevertheless cornerstones of the resistance.
– Why did you choose the Medina of Fez as the setting for your film?
The Medina of Fez represents, for me, all of Morocco. If you pay attention, it embodies the essence of the country. It was a real open-air theater where I could express myself freely. It reflected this duality: on one side, the anxiety-provoking aspect of the Medina, with its narrow streets, and on the other, the freedom of the terraces, where women and children could flourish.
I wanted Morocco to be represented in its diversity, with people from all regions: a Rif like Youssef, inhabitants of the Sahara, the Middle Atlas, and many others. Thus, the Medina of Fez symbolized the whole of Morocco for me.
– Through your film, you deconstruct certain orientalist clichés such as that of the harem. What was your goal in exploring this topic?
In my vision of things, I completely reject this orientalism. If you look closely at the film, you will notice that the French character is convinced that what frightens foreigners, whether Eastern or Western, is the fact that the woman’s body is hidden. Hiding this body arouses their fear, because they do not know what it represents. They then project their fantasies. There is a scene in the film where the Frenchman, seeing a woman passing by dressed in a haik, declares that he is certain that she is naked under this veil. This represents intense fear and curiosity for them. For my part, I denounce all this orientalism. It is, in my eyes, a Western fantasy which imagines that the Eastern world is reduced to this woman hidden under her clothes, an image of secret and mystery. And when we “discover” her, it is through fantasies like harems, which are imaginary constructions of Westerners, a way of reducing women to an archaic figure. However, what the film shows is the exact opposite. The two main characters, apart from the young boy, are women, who are at the heart of the story and who struggle. Aisha, the young girl, for example, says: “How do you expect me to free my country if you lock me up in a harem? “.
– Have you received any feedback from former resistance fighters after the release of your film?
Yes, I organized several screenings in Fez, because I interviewed and filmed many former resistance fighters in order to collect their testimonies and integrate their stories into the film. Moreover, one of the stories told in the film comes directly from their testimonies.
At each screening, people came up to me, hugged me, expressed their gratitude, saying: “Thank you, you reminded us of a time we lived through, or the time of our parents as they were. ‘They told it to me.’ This touched me deeply, because the spectators found the film very authentic, realistic and faithful to the reality of that time.
– What emotions does the celebration of Moroccan independence awaken in you?
Independence Day above all represents Morocco as it is today, the fruit of the fierce struggle of men and women who fought to obtain their freedom. It is a deeply symbolic day, because it marks the emergence of modern Morocco. On this day, the country looks to its past while laying the foundations for its future, firmly anchoring today’s Kingdom in History and the contemporary world.
– Tell us about your future film projects
At the moment, I have a film in preparation which will tackle the new Moudawana, centered on a man with two wives. When it comes to television, I’m quite selective, because I prefer to make committed films rather than more lyrical works. I have already made a film about autism, as well as other television projects, such as Spider’s Web, which deals with the dangers of the Internet for young girls.
All these films focus on Moroccan social issues. For example, the last series I produced was even debated in Parliament, particularly regarding the Moudawana and discussions on inheritance. It’s a form of commitment that I bring through television. My next film, titled: “Honeymoon”, is also a committed project that deals with injustice and the problems that women face. I haven’t shot it yet, but it’s already been accepted.
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