Rabat — What happens when society stops seeing someone as an individual? Moroccan filmmaker Mariam Ait Belhoucine explores this question in her upcoming film “Sans Visage”, which looks at identity, social exclusion and the struggle to find a place in society.
‘Faces disappear before bodies do’
The 85-minute feature film follows a character who faces social exclusion and struggles against forces that threaten their identity and existence.
Through this story, director Mariam Ait Belhoucine invites viewers to reflect on how society treats people living on its margins and what happens when others refuse to acknowledge their existence.
The film also moves away from traditional storytelling. It uses silence, facial expressions, and human presence to tell its story, offering viewers a more visual and emotional experience. One of its central ideas is captured in the phrase, “Faces disappear before bodies do.”
Ait Belhoucine directs the film, which is produced by Espace Événement. Otmane Acheqra wrote the original screenplay.
The cast includes Mohamed Choubi, Aziz Houbaibi, Ahmed Belkhadir, Marouane Kamal and Adam Zouak, alongside actresses Abir El Garoui and Keltoum Ennazi.
Issam Ifoulloussen and Joel Pelligrini composed the music, while Mounir Raiss handled cinematography and editing.
The film will hold its pre-premiere on Wednesday, November 11, at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat. The screening will take place outside the official competition of the International Author Film Festival.
The event will also give audiences a chance to meet the film’s team and discuss the questions it raises about identity, social exclusion and the individual’s place in society.
About Mariam Ait Belhoucine
Ait Belhoucine graduated from Al Akhawayn University with a degree in finance and marketing. She later trained in film directing and production, earned a master’s degree in marketing strategies, and completed her doctorate in Cinema at Paris 2 University, Sorbonne Nouvelle, in 2019. She also took several writing courses.
Her academic work includes three research projects that led to published works on Moroccan cinema, including Cinema in Morocco, co-written with Professor Claude Forest. Her publications also explore film audiences in Morocco, film production in the country, and film festivals in French-speaking Africa.
As a filmmaker, Ait Belhoucine has directed four short films, three documentaries, and her first feature film, “Baba Marx”. Her other film credits include Le Petit Prince, La Sagesse des Sables and Tarfaya, Profondeur de l’Histoire. She is also the founding president of the association Lamsat Oum (A Mother’s Touch).