Fez — Moroccan cinema has spent nearly five decades pursuing recognition at the Academy Awards, with filmmakers such as Nabil Ayouch, Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, Maryam Touzani, Asmae El Moudir, and Roschdy Zem representing the country in Hollywood’s international film competition.

Since submitting Souheil Ben Barka’s “Blood Wedding” for the 1978 Academy Awards, Morocco has selected 22 films for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category, formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film.

Although none has reached the final five nominees, three productions have advanced to the Academy’s shortlist, marking significant moments in the country’s Oscar history.

Morocco’s latest entry, Laila Marrakchi’s “La Más Dulce,” will compete for consideration at the 99th Academy Awards in March 2027.

Three Moroccan films that made the Oscar shortlist

Morocco’s first major breakthrough came in 2012 with “Omar Killed Me,” directed by French-Moroccan filmmaker Roschdy Zem.

The 2011 drama follows the real-life case of Omar Raddad, a Moroccan gardener convicted of murdering a wealthy French woman in 1991.

Starring Sami Bouajila, the film explores questions of justice, prejudice, and discrimination through one of France’s most widely discussed criminal cases.

It advanced to the Academy’s nine-film shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film but did not receive a final nomination.

More than a decade later, Maryam Touzani’s “The Blue Caftan” brought Morocco back into the Oscar spotlight.

Released in 2022, the drama follows Halim, a traditional caftan maker in Salé, and his wife Mina, whose relationship changes when they hire a young apprentice named Youssef.

Starring Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, and Ayoub Missioui, the film explores love, identity, and the preservation of Moroccan craftsmanship.

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, “The Blue Caftan” reached the 15-film shortlist for the 2023 Academy Awards.

In 2024, Asmae El Moudir’s documentary “The Mother of All Lies” became the third Moroccan entry to achieve that distinction.

The film examines the director’s family history through a miniature reconstruction of her childhood neighborhood in Casablanca.

Using handmade figurines, family conversations, and personal memories, El Moudir explores the relationship between private family secrets and the 1981 Casablanca bread riots.

The documentary previously received recognition at Cannes and brought another distinctly Moroccan storytelling approach into the international Oscar conversation.

Despite their achievements, all three films stopped short of the final nomination stage.

From ‘Ali Zaoua’ to ‘Everybody Loves Touda’

Morocco’s Oscar history extends well beyond these three shortlisted productions.

The country made its first submission with Souheil Ben Barka’s “Blood Wedding,” released in 1977 and submitted for the following year’s Academy Awards.

After a long absence, Nabil Ayouch represented Morocco with “Mektoub” for the 1999 ceremony and “Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets” for the 2001 edition.

Kamal Kamal’s “The Moroccan Symphony” followed in 2007, before Mohamed Ismail’s “Goodbye Mothers” in 2009 and Nour-Eddine Lakhmari’s “Casanegra” in 2010.

Following the selection of “Omar Killed Me” for 2012, Morocco submitted Faouzi Bensaïdi’s “Death for Sale” in 2013 and Nabil Ayouch’s “Horses of God” in 2014.

Hassan Benjelloun’s “The Red Moon” represented the country in 2015, followed by Driss Mrini’s “Aida” in 2016 and Said Khallaf’s “A Mile in My Shoes” in 2017.

Ayouch returned to the competition with “Razzia” in 2018, while Lakhmari’s “Burnout” became Morocco’s entry for 2019.

Maryam Touzani made her first appearance as Morocco’s selected director with “Adam” in 2020, followed by Alaa Eddine Aljem’s “The Unknown Saint” in 2021.

Ayouch’s “Casablanca Beats,” which premiered in competition at Cannes, represented Morocco at the 2022 Oscars.

After the successive shortlist appearances of “The Blue Caftan” in 2023 and “The Mother of All Lies” in 2024, Morocco selected Ayouch’s “Everybody Loves Touda” for the 2025 ceremony.

Starring Nisrin Erradi, the film tells the story of an aspiring sheikha singer determined to pursue her musical ambitions while raising her son.

For the 2026 Academy Awards, Morocco selected Touzani’s “Calle Málaga,” starring Spanish actress Carmen Maura.

Set in Tangier, the film follows an elderly Spanish woman fighting to remain in the home where she has spent much of her life.

Neither “Everybody Loves Touda” nor “Calle Málaga” reached the final Oscar nominations.

‘La Más Dulce’ carries Morocco’s hopes for 2027

Morocco’s latest Oscar submission is “La Más Dulce,” internationally titled “Strawberries,” directed by Laila Marrakchi.

The Moroccan Cinematographic Center (CCM) announced its selection on September 2, following a unanimous decision by the national selection committee.

The film follows two Moroccan women who travel to southern Spain to work as seasonal strawberry pickers, hoping to improve their families’ lives.

Their expectations quickly collide with exploitation, harassment, and difficult working conditions, forcing them to decide whether to challenge the system.

Starring Nisrin Erradi and Hajar Graigaa, the drama premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

Marrakchi, known for “Marock” and “Rock the Casbah,” returns to international cinema with a story addressing migration, women’s experiences, and labor conditions.

The Academy will announce the shortlist for Best International Feature Film on December 15, 2026, followed by the final nominations on January 21, 2027.

The 99th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 14, 2027.