Rabat – Moroccan short film “Moro,” starring acclaimed actor Mohamed Khouyi, will premiere at Cinema Rif in Tangier on September 26.
The 17-minute drama is directed by the Moroccan filmmaker Nabil El Hamri and produced by OS Prod.
The film follows Mohamed, a young Moroccan who leaves his homeland for Spain in search of better opportunities. Instead, he encounters discrimination and exclusion while working in a Spanish restaurant.
A journey between two shores
“Moro” looks beyond the familiar image of migration as simply a journey from one country to another.
For Mohamed, leaving Morocco also means navigating questions of belonging, identity, and how he is perceived in his new environment.
His grandfather, a former resistance fighter, becomes a source of strength as the hero faces prejudice and struggles to defend his dignity.
The story therefore connects two generations shaped by very different journeys: one marked by resistance and the other by migration.
The project was filmed between Morocco and Spain, with earlier production taking place in Barcelona.
A Moroccan story beyond Morocco
The film brings together Moroccan and Spanish performers, including Omar Ben Taleb, Julia Pérez Beltrán, and José Herman, alongside Khouyi.
Yassine El Halimi wrote the screenplay, while Hicham El Halimi handled editing and assisted with directing.
Rather than treating migration as an abstract political issue, “Moro” places it inside the everyday experiences of a young worker dealing with discrimination, isolation, and the pressure to prove his worth.
For Moroccan cinema, the film also reflects a growing interest in stories that extend beyond the country’s borders.
Its setting in Spain allows the filmmakers to explore the relationship between the country many migrants leave and the societies in which they attempt to build another life.
By moving between Morocco and Spain, “Moro” explores what happens after the border is crossed, when the search for a better future becomes a daily struggle of identity, dignity, and belonging.
