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Nabil Ayouch / Morocco, France / 2024 / 102 mins
Irrepressible Touda only dreams of one thing: being a Sheikha, a respected traditional Moroccan performer empowered by the lyrics of the fierce female poets who came before her – with their songs of resistance, love and emancipation. The opening sequence of the film powerfully shows the inherent danger she faces during her nightly gigs.
Performing every evening in provincial bars under the distrustful and sometimes dangerous gaze of men, she is restricted in her musical repertoire. Touda plans to set her sights on leaving her small village for the bright lights of Casablanca where she hopes to be recognised as a true artist and also secure a better future for her and her son.
This energetic film considers the notion of female respectability in Morocco, the double standards that pervade Touda’s world of work as both an entertainer, a serious singer of folk music, a young mother, and an irrepressible presence in her own right. The Ai’ta chants that characterise the traditional Sheikha performance are used on the film’s score, to profound effect – a full-throated, spine-tingling call that signifies moments of transition for Touda.
“It’s the brilliance with which Erradi performs, especially in the musical sequences, and the touching portrait of a woman pursuing her art despite the world seemingly conspiring against her to do so, that sustain and invigorate the film.” – Indie Wire
“The film crackles with energy every time Erradi opens her mouth to sing.” – Screen Daily
