Fez — Moroccan actress Nisrin Erradi has won Best African Actress at the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam for her lead role in Nabil Ayouch’s “Everybody Loves Touda.”
The ceremony took place on September 4 at Tuschinski Theater, with organizers confirming this year’s winners on the event’s official site.
Septimius Awards describe themselves as a platform that champions independent, story-led filmmaking and new talent from around the world. The 2025 edition ran on September 3–4 and included panels, a red carpet, and the awards show in the Dutch capital.
In a message shared on her social channels and echoed by Moroccan media, Erradi framed the moment as a milestone rather than a goal, saying that the lasting impact of art matters more than its trophies.
She thanked the “Everybody Loves Touda” team, highlighting her trust in the director Nabil Ayouch and the collective effort behind the role.
“Everybody Loves Touda” follows Touda, a single mother who dreams of becoming a sheikha, a traditional Moroccan performer rooted in the poetry and music of aïta. The film tracks her push to leave a small town for Casablanca in search of artistic recognition and a better life for her son. The feature premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Premiere section in 2024.
Critical notes on the film have emphasized its focus on female agency and the resilience of performers who navigate stigma around women artists. Festival and distributor materials underscore the way Ayouch and co-writer Maryam Touzani frame aïta as an art of freedom and resistance, with Erradi’s performance at the center.
Erradi’s international profile has grown steadily over the past two years through festival selections and regional honors. The actress also represented Morocco this season at the Sotigui Awards in Ouagadougou, which recognizes excellence in African and diaspora screen acting.
For Moroccan cinema, the Septimius win adds to a string of global appearances and prizes that have helped push local stories into mainstream conversations. “Everybody Loves Touda” continues to gain popularity, with synopses and festival notes pointing audiences to the film’s portrait of craft, motherhood, and the cultural weight of aïta.
Read also: ‘Everybody Loves Touda’ Wins Best Actress & Screenplay at Cannes
