No. 56. (2020) ADAM. Sept. 15th.

 

Film No. 56 (2020)  Sept 15th.  4:45 PM.  Cinema 5  LUNA Leederville.

"Yes, but she hasn't listened to her since Dad died". (Warda (named after the singer in focus) tells Samia of a grieving habit her mother, Abla, has developed.

There is something very personal about this wonderful film from the streets of Casablanca. Adam tells the story of two women Samia, (Nisrin Erradi) and Abla, (Lubna Azabal) who, over a few months, play a significant role in each others lives. The sliding door moment of their connection and the significance of the role each plays need not be revealed here, the cinema connoisseur won't want to miss the power of this simple tale. While listening to creator (writer/director) Maryam Touzani talk about the real life family experience she intimately observed as a young girl one gets a sense that 8 year old Warda (Douae Belkhaouda) is the conduit for Touzani's story. The film's high points are always in the silences. Mixed with the deft close-ups of these strong, handsome women (often busy creating dough based foods) and the street sounds of this busy iconic city, the whole Adam experience is mesmerising. Adam was Morocco's official selection at Cannes (2019) and a selection at the Toronto (2019) festival. It was not an award winner, which many critics found astonishing considering some of the accolades handed out. In these strange times, take this journey into exotic Casablanca, a place so inaccessible to a traveller right now. 11GUMS.