In a world where cinema continues to push boundaries and break new ground, a fresh voice emerges from Morocco: Asmae el Moudir. This rising female filmmaker has recently catapulted into the limelight, winning the esteemed Best Director award at the Un Certain Regard in Cannes International Film Festival 2023 for her film, The Mother of All Lies. Her deeply personal exploration of memory, identity, and home is a clarion call to audiences and critics alike.

El Moudir’s film serves as a conduit into her past, as she uses a handmade replica of the Casablanca neighborhood where she grew up as a canvas to paint her story. By dissecting the tales her family told about their home and their country, she peels back the layers of deception and intentional forgetting that have shaped her life. This compelling blend of reality and surrealism, wrapped in a uniquely Moroccan narrative, has resonated with viewers around the globe.

In this week’s episode of our podcast, interviewer Brent Simon engages in a profound conversation with Asmae el Moudir. They traverse the terrain of the film’s inception, its evolution, and its universal appeal. El Moudir delves into the film’s reception at Cannes, the challenges of being your own narrator, and the importance of having Moroccan and female narratives recognized on the international stage.

El Moudir’s journey and accomplishments stand as a beacon for female filmmakers, and her Moroccan roots give her a unique perspective in the world of cinema. The Mother of All Lies is not just an exploration of her personal history, but a testament to the collective memory of a nation. Tune in for this compelling episode as we explore her creative process, her struggles, and her triumphs.