Casablanca – Sometimes, the most extraordinary stories begin with people who have no idea how closely their lives are connected. Moroccan-Qatari feature film “A Very Ordinary Life,” which will screen at the Doha Film Festival, explores that idea through two strangers whose paths cross in ways neither could have imagined.

Directed by Egyptian-Turkish filmmaker Mohamed Deniz and written by Moroccan screenwriter Bouchra Malek, the film will screen as part of the Special Screenings program at Doha Film Festival. 

The festival runs from November 19-27, bringing regional and international films to audiences in Qatar.

A story connected by a hidden past

“A Very Ordinary Life” follows a retired Qatari pilot and a young Moroccan art teacher who, without knowing it, are father and daughter.

Dreams and letters draw them towards one another, while a long-buried secret gradually connects their lives. Art becomes a way to uncover a past that neither has fully understood.

Rather than relying on conventional drama, the film takes a more introspective approach, exploring human connection, identity, and the ties that can survive across generations and borders. Its Moroccan-Qatari production also gives the story a cross-cultural dimension, bringing together creative talent from both countries.

A pan-Arab cast

The film brings together Moroccan, Qatari, Kuwaiti, and Egyptian performers. Its cast includes Moroccan actors Farah El Fassi, Maryam Bakouch, and Fatima Zahra Baladi, alongside Kuwaiti actor Khaled Amine and other performers from across the region. 

Beyond her role as an actress, El Fassi also served as a co-producer on the film, alongside Bouchra Malek and Amine El Maghari. Reflecting on the experience, she described the film as “the result of an exceptional human journey,” driven by a shared love of cinema and the belief that “art knows no borders.”

Behind the camera, Malek takes on both screenwriting and production responsibilities, working alongside producer Abdulrahim Al-Siddiqi. 

A place in Doha’s growing film scene

The film joins a selection of works connected to Qatar’s expanding screen industry. Doha Film Festival will feature “A Very Ordinary Life” alongside films including Jamal Al Khanji’s Jodari Meno and Rodrigo Vazquez Salessi’s First to Fly, as well as Hamad Al Hajri’s documentary “When the News Breaks You.”

According to El Fassi, “A Very Ordinary Life” has also been selected for the 2026 Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), marking another step in its international journey. 

For her, the selections represent the beginning of a wider journey for a production built on collaboration between Moroccan and Qatari creatives. As she wrote in her social media post, “This is only the beginning.”

The Doha Film Festival offers the Moroccan-Qatari production a chance to reach audiences in Qatar while placing a shared regional story within a broader international program.