Born in Casablanca, Morocco in 1977, he studied economy and law then wrote theatre plays, novels and screenplays before turning to film. In 2011 he made his debut feature The End, about the last days of King Hassan, which was critically acclaimed. In They are the Dogs (2013) he drew parallels between the 2011 Arab Spring and the 1981 'bread riots' in Morocco. The work on this film, produced by noted Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch, was supported by the Cannes Film Festival's ACID programme. His films The Sea is Behind and Starve your Dog both screened in the Panorama.
Berlinale
