Nabil Ayouch

Nabil Ayouch (born 1 April 1969) is a Franco-Moroccan television and film director, producer, and writer. His films have been screened at international film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival.

Early life Ayouch was born in 1969 in Paris, to a Moroccan father, and a French mother of Tunisian-Jewish descent. His brother is fellow director Hicham Ayouch. After his parents' divorce, he spent a large part of his childhood in the suburb of Sarcelles, visiting Casablanca in the summers.

Ayouch cites discovering international cinema at the local cultural center, Forum des Cholettes, as inspiring his filmmaking career. He won the Ecumenical Award in 2000 in the Montreal World Film Festival for his film Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets. Ayouch is set to produce the French-Moroccan thriller film Mirages.

Ayouch's 2012 film Horses of God is based on Mahi Binebine’s novel The Stars of Sidi Moumen. In Horses of God, Ayouch explores the radicalization that can occur from poverty and extreme machismo, alluding to the 2003 Casablanca bombings. The film competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. It was also Morocco's submission for the 85th Academy Awards (held in February 2013).

In 2021, Ayouch's film Casablanca Beats was selected for the 74th Cannes Film Festival competition.

In February 2025, Ayouch joined the competition jury at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, presided over by Todd Haynes.

Ayouch is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures, the Académie des Césars, and the Arab Film Academy. The movie was ultimately banned in Morocco.

Personal life Ayouch works and lives in Casablanca.

Filmography

Feature films

Only writer Whatever Lola Wants (2007) co-written with Jane Hawksley

The Blue Caftan (2023) co-written with Maryam Touzani

As producer 2000: Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets (associate producer) 2006: Tiwarga (TV Movie) 2006: Heart Edges 2008: Houti Houta (TV Movie) 2010: L'Equipe (The Team) (TV Series) 2010: Al ferka (TV Series) 2010: 3ichk al baroud 2010 (TV Movie) 2010: Mirages 2011: My Land (Documentary) 2011: Zinat Al Hayat (TV Series) (executive producer) 2012: Quand ils dorment (Short) 2012: Horses of God 2013: Une bonne leçon (TV Movie) (line producer: Morocco) 2013: C'est eux les chiens... 2015: Much Loved 2015: Aji-Bi (Documentary) 2015: All Three of Us (line producer: Morocco) 2015: Aya Goes to the Beach (Short) 2017: Pluie de sueur 2017: Zwaj El Waqt (TV Movie documentary) 2019: Wadrari (Documentary) 2019: Adam 2023: The Blue Caftan

Decorations Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (2015)