Fez — Moroccan filmmaker Seloua El Gouni is set to release her debut feature film “The Wound“ in theaters across Morocco starting January 14.
The film marks a confident first step into long-form cinema, blending restrained storytelling with a sharp examination of personal desire and inherited norms.
At the center of the narrative is Leila, a young woman in her twenties navigating the tension between her aspirations for autonomy and the expectations imposed by family, tradition, and social scrutiny.
The story unfolds within a domestic and social environment where affection, protection, and authority coexist uneasily, creating a fragile balance that can fracture under collective pressure.
Rather than relying on overt confrontation, “The Wound” builds its dramatic force through silence, gestures, and unspoken conflict.
The “wound” of the title extends beyond any physical mark, taking shape as a social and moral scar shaped by norms that regulate women’s bodies and life paths. The film traces the invisible damage left by these constraints, especially when they are internalized and passed between generations.
A cast anchored in restraint and emotional precision
In the lead role, Oumaima Barid delivers a controlled and deeply internalized performance, anchoring the film’s emotional weight. Amal Ayouch portrays Fatima, Leila’s mother, as a figure caught between care, transmission, and quiet complicity, while Mansour Badri gives Leila’s father Driss a tragic density shaped by rigidity and vulnerability.
The supporting cast includes Brice Bexter, Soraya Azzabi, Abdelhak Saleh, and Sami Fekkak, forming a gallery of characters that reflect the contradictions of a society in transition.
An international team and festival recognition
Visually, the film is carried by the work of cinematographer Travis Tips, whose camera creates an immersive aesthetic through subtle contrasts between intimate interiors and public spaces. The screenplay was co-written with Brice Bexter El Glaoui, Brian Bexter El Glaoui, and Taha Benghalem, who also took part in the film’s production.
“The Wound” has already circulated widely on the international festival circuit, with screenings and awards spanning Athens, Beirut, Malta, and Casablanca. Among its distinctions is the award for Best First Feature at the Athens International Art Film Festival, alongside nominations for directing, screenplay, and lead performance.
