Marock

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415147/
Laïla Marrakchi, an Morrocan film maker made big controversy in Cannes 2005 when her fourth film was screened. The big controversy was that she had made a love story about a young muslim girl falling in love with a jewish boy. Laïla let her cousin play the part of Rita, an unknown female in her first role, but this is only the start on one of this decades most talanted, biggest and brightest stars.

Rita (Morjana Alaoui)

a 17 year muslim girl living in Casablanca, Morroco in 1997 and her parents are wealthy and own an textile industry.
At a party she sees a boy, Youri (Matthieu Boujenah), their eyes meet for a second and a few days later after her chauffeur drives Rita home from school, they meet Youri again and offers him a lift to his home.



The nervous feeling and happiness that Rita feels during that scene bubbles out from the screen.Topclass acting and this is the best part from the movie, the innocent, the joy and excitement in being in love with all the emotions it brings.



They both seems to live a rich life, but atleast Rita wants something more. Might be that her age and everything that comes along in that age makes her rebellious against her parents and her brother, maby this is how life was - or is - when you´re young.

Marock borrow some parts from the Romeo and Juliet story; the battle between two families - or in this case two opposite way of life - in the religions way of seeing things anyway.



Rita eats hamburgers from McDonald’s, she smokes, she likes to dance and party and enjoys the companies of her friends. She is just like the most teenagers from all over the world are, or atleast should be able to live; free and under no preassure, free to explore themself.


Marock may not be the best movie ever made, but a groundbreaking experience put in a world of today that are overflood by negative stories about muslims and how they are so different from us (us as in the non muslims and or christians or “christians“ if you want.) Therefor is Laïlas script such an uplifting and important piece in history. It is after all an love story and love stories is something the world of today need more of.



Rita and Youri meets and drives away in Youris car, the forbidden love, the unaccpted love is about to happen. His friends meet up in a car race, this scene is not only for the boys to show of for their girlfriends, it is also an key scene for the unstoppable love between Rita and Youri.
As I see it, this is where Rita falls in love with Youri as she sees him as a tough guy, like most girl are attracted to a guy who are more wild and rough, you know, the girls sometimes needs to rebel against their everyday life and standards.

As much as the controverse was on a muslim girl and a jewish boy falls in love with eachother, Marock also got spoken about due to how Rita kisses. More on that in the highly recomended interview that can be found under the trivia section.

The use of music is fantastic. Not such a big fan of Army of lovers nor David Bowie, but this scene speaks for itself more or less. The way her eyes are about to burts into tears and no words are saying from no one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1kxjWO5AmU&translated=1

If you feel like living, watch Marock. Maby you can learn something - after all, we are all human.

Youri and Rita

















- You are not alone -














The quotes are first in french and then translated to english. Take note that they where originally spoken in arabic in the movie.
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Arrête.. Merci. Merci, merci! Ill me traîp trop, le mec.
- Wait.. Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was so sweet what you did for me back there.
- Mais, Lalla Rita. Il est juif.
- But Rita, he is a jew.
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- Pauvre Lalla Rita
- Poor Rita.
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Trailers for Marock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqIwpEp8RHQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUisD2yUqqs

Trivia
Marock: interview Morjana Alaoui and Matthew Boujenah
http://www.bladi.net/forum/63245-marock-interview-morjana-alaoui-matthieu-boujenah/

Lalla can be translated to Darling or seeker.

Alexandre Aja (the director of Haute tension, The hills have eyes 2, Pirahna 3D) was consulting for the artistic technique during the shooting of Marock.