From Tangier to the World Stage — Rooted at AST: Maryam Touzani

Born and raised in Tangier, Maryam Touzani’s journey from AST classrooms to the world’s most prestigious film festivals is a powerful story of passion, creativity, and perseverance. After completing her studies at AST, she pursued journalism in London before returning to Morocco to begin her career as a journalist specializing in Maghreb cinema. It was during this time that her desire to tell her own stories through film began to take shape.

She wrote and directed her first fiction short film, When They Sleep (2012), which was screened at major international festivals and received seventeen awards. Her second short film, Aya Goes to the Beach (2015), continued this success, earning fifteen awards worldwide and further establishing her distinctive voice in Moroccan cinema.

Maryam expanded her experience through her collaboration on Much Loved (2015) with director Nabil Ayouch, contributing to script development and participating in the production. She later co-wrote the feature film Razzia, reinforcing her role as a committed storyteller bringing authentic narratives to the screen.

Her first feature film, Adam, premiered in the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. The film was subsequently selected at major festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival, won more than thirty awards, and was distributed in over twenty countries. In 2019, Maryam became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the same year Adam was Morocco’s official submission for the Academy Awards.

In 2022, she wrote and directed The Blue Caftan, which was again selected at Cannes and received the FIPRESCI Prize from international critics. Representing Morocco at the Oscars, the film was shortlisted among the fifteen Best International Feature Films. With more than sixty awards worldwide and distribution in over thirty countries, it became one of the most internationally successful Moroccan films.

In 2023, Maryam joined the jury of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, marking another milestone in her growing international recognition. Her upcoming feature film, Calle Malaga (2025), filmed in Spanish and starring Carmen Maura, has already been selected at both the Toronto and Venice Film Festivals, where it received the Audience Award, along with major recognitions at festivals in Denver, Mill Valley, and Mar del Plata.

Rooted in her Tangier upbringing and shaped by her AST experience, Maryam Touzani continues to bring Moroccan stories to global audiences. Her journey is an inspiring reminder of how passion, determination, and strong foundations can lead to extraordinary impact on the world stage.