The Moroccan feature film Calle Malaga, directed by Maryam Touzani, won the Audience Award in the Spotlight category of the official selection at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Saturday night. Shot in Morocco, Calle Malaga follows the story of a 79-year-old Spanish woman living alone in Tangier, enjoying her city and her daily life. Maria's world is shaken when her daughter Clara arrives from Madrid to sell the apartment where she has always lived. Determined to remain in the city that shaped her, Maria fights to keep her home and reclaim the belongings of a lifetime. In a statement to MAP, Maryam Touzani expressed her deep emotion at receiving the award from the prestigious Venice festival. «This award is very important to me because it means the film touched people's hearts. When you make a film, it is inevitably to convey something profound. It is a very beautiful reward, and I am very happy about it», said the Moroccan director. The film's producer, Nabil Ayouch, also voiced his pride in the Audience Award at such a major festival, while congratulating Maryam Touzani «for the wonderful directing work she accomplished». «This award also broadly honors Moroccan cinema and the efforts made in recent years by both professionals and supporting institutions to elevate the national seventh art to the highest levels», he added. Calle Malaga will be screened next week at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Morocco took part in the 82nd Venice Film Festival (August 27–September 6) through the Venice Production Bridge, where the Kingdom was invited as guest of honor for the first time in its history.
