23rd edition November 20th to 28th, 2026
23rd edition
20 to 28 November, 2026
Nour-Eddine Lakhmari was born in Morocco and moved to Oslo to study film. After making his first short films, he joined the Oslo Film Academy. His first feature-length film, Le Regard, was released in 2005 and won several awards. In 2006, he returned to Morocco and directed the crime series El Kadia. Casanegra, his second feature, won numerous international awards and was chosen to represent Morocco at the Academy Awards. It remained at the top of the Moroccan box office for several months. Since then, Lakhmari has made acclaimed feature films including Zero and Burnout, establishing himself as one of the leading directors in contemporary Moroccan cinema.
In a small Moroccan village in the Middle Atlas, 13-year-old Mira works to free birds caught in hunters’ traps in the forest. She seeks to find her place and her freedom in her rural community, where a group of illegal immigrants are living while they pursue their own dreams of freedom in Europe. In her quest, Mira is guided by her grandmother Zainab and her teacher Lamia, who themselves face similar but sometimes conflicting inner struggles: one wants to protect Mira from the consequences of her choices, while the other teaches her that no fear should prevent her from following her path. Three generations embark on a journey of self-discovery to assert themselves in a culture torn between tradition and modernity.
Director Nour-Eddine Lakhmari
Producer Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, Fadila Taha
Screenwriter Nour-Eddine Lakhmari
Cinematographer Reda Zeroual
Production Designer Badr Soud El Hassani
Editor Yousef Berrada
Sound Said Essada, Sara Kaddouri
Music Adil Aissa
Production Company Nel Films
Distributor Concept Mena