Maryam Touzani

Maryam Touzani (born 17 September 1980) is a Moroccan filmmaker and actress. She is best known as the director of the critically acclaimed film Adam (2019), Morocco's entry for the 92nd Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, and The Blue Caftan (2022), the country's submission for the same award for the 95th Academy Awards. Early life Touzani was born in 1980 in Tangier. In 2003, she obtained a master's degree in media communication and journalism in London. She began her career as a journalist with a focus on cinema. Career At first, Touzani worked as a screenwriter while directing short and documentary films. In 2011, she made the short Quand ils dorment. It won 17 prizes, including that of the Special Jury at the Huesca International Film Festival, the festival qualifying for the Oscars. In 2014, she made her debut documentary Sous Ma Peau Vieille. The film, which discussed prostitution in Morocco, became very popular in Morocco. With the success of this documentary, she turned it into a feature film with the title Much Loved, which was released in 2015. The film was directed by her husband Nabil Ayouch, while she wrote the script. In late 2015, Touzani made her second short Aya va à la plage. The film revolves around the exploitation of small children as domestic workers.