Fez — Moroccan-origin actor Sayyid El Alami has been nominated for the 2026 César Awards in the “Révélation masculine” (Best Male Revelation) category, marking a major milestone in his rapidly ascending career within French cinema.
Born in Toulouse in 1998 to Moroccan parents, El Alami, 27, has steadily built a reputation for emotionally grounded performances that blend restraint, sensitivity, and depth. His latest recognition comes on the heels of a string of accolades following the 2025 theatrical release of “La Pampa,” directed by Antoine Chevrollier.
In the film, El Alami plays Willy, the best friend of the main character, in a moving story centered on adolescent friendship in a small French village. Critics and festival juries alike praised his performance for its authenticity and emotional precision, helping establish La Pampa as one of the year’s most noted coming-of-age dramas.
A growing list of distinctions
El Alami’s César nomination follows a strong awards season in 2025. He received the Best Actor Award at the Festival Premier Plans d’Angers and the Swann d’or for Best Male Breakthrough at the Cabourg Film Festival, consolidating his status as a rising talent to watch.
The César nomination places him among a new generation of actors shaping the future of French cinema, with the ceremony widely regarded as France’s highest film honor.
From early passion to national recognition
The youngest of five siblings, El Alami discovered cinema at an early age, inspired by his mother’s love for film. He began acting as a child, appearing in short films and gradually building experience through auditions and independent projects.
His early work includes appearances in several short films, with 2018 marking a particularly active year. Among those projects was “Basses,” which was selected for screening at the Festival de Cannes, offering him early exposure on an international stage.
In 2019, he appeared in his first feature-length film, “Zombi Child,” directed by Bertrand Bonello, before gaining broader visibility through the Netflix series “Messiah” in 2020.
A defining television role
El Alami continued to diversify his work with roles in Baptiste, “Une si longue nuit” on TF1, and other television projects. However, 2022 marked a turning point with his lead role in ”En attendant Malik Oussekine,” a miniseries recounting the tragic death of a French student at the hands of police in 1986.
That performance further cemented his reputation for tackling demanding, socially charged roles with nuance and emotional intelligence.
