Amal Ayouch (born 1966) is a Moroccan actress who since the late 1990s has performed in the French language both on stage and, above all, in film.[1] In January 2015, she was honoured with an award at the African Women's Film Festival in Brazzaville.[2][3] Ayouch has played a leading role in Morocco's Fondation des arts vivants (Living Arts Foundation).[4]

Amal Ayouch
Born1966
NationalityMoroccan
CitizenshipMorocco
OccupationActress
Years active1998
Notable workKandisha

Biography edit

Born in Casablanca in 1966, Amal Ayouch showed interest in acting from an early age, performing on stage at high school. When she was 18, she arrived in Montpellier where she studied to become a pharmacist. While at university, in 1987 she joined a theatre group attached to the French literature department.[5]

She began her film career thanks to another pharmacist, Hassan Benjelloun, who gave her an important part in Les Amis d'hier (1998). Soon afterwards, Hakim Noury invited her to star in Destin de Femme together with Rachid El Ouali. Playing a woman who refused to submit to a difficult husband, she contributed to the film's success.[5]

In 1999, she agreed to play a woman of loose morals in Ali Zaoua directed by her cousin Nabil Ayouch. Similar roles followed in Farida Belyazid's Casablanca, Casablanca (2002) and Chassan Benjelloun's Les lèvres du silence (2001) and Farida Belyazid's Casablanca, Casablanca (2002). She went on to star in Driss Chouika's Le jeu de l'amour (2006), allowing her to master a difficult role in intimate scenes with Younes Megri.[5] She has also played in other successful films including Les Anges de Satan (2007).[3]

She appeared in two films directed by Nabil Lahlou, Les années de l'exil (2001) and Tabite or not Tabite (2004). It was also Lahlou who encouraged her to act on the stage, inviting her to appear in his theatrical productions, including Ophélie n’est pas Morte, Les Tortues, Antigone, and En Attendant Godot.[5]

Filmography edit

Cinéma edit

Year Film Director Role Notes
2017 Palestina Julio Soto and Mohamed El Badaoui Ismahan Spanish production by Ana Rodrigues
Little Horror Movie Jérôme Cohen Olivar Mrs Mancherbreuk
2016 Riad de mes rêves Zineb Tamourt short
2015 Les larmes de Satan Hicham Jebbari Meriem
Jérôme Cohen Olivar Soraya
2014 Sotto Voce Kamal Kamal Fatma
2013 L'Anniversaire Latif Lahlou Ghita
2012 Derriere-les-portes-fermees Ahd Bensouda Najia l’avocate
Le Retour du fils Ahmed Boulane elle-même short appearance
2011 Rihanna Mourad El Khaoudi short
2010 Les ailes de l'amour Abdelhay Laraki Hajja Hlima
Femmes en miroirs Saad Chraibi tante Ghita
2009 Entropya Yassine Marroccu short
2008 La Française Souad El Bouhati Mme Laktani
Kandisha Jérôme Cohen Olivar Dr Maliki
2007 Les Anges de Satan Ahmed Boulane l’avocate
2006 Une gazelle dans le vent Mohamed Hassini
Le jeu de l'amour Driss Chouika
2005 La danse du foetus Mohamed Mouftakir short
2004 L'ascenseur Selma Bargach short
Good bye Khadija Kamal Belghmi short
Tabite or not Tabite Nabyl Lahlou Farida Fatmi
La mer Rachida Saadi short
Sang d'encre Layla Triqui short
2002 Casablanca Casablanca Farida Belyazid Amina
2001 Les années de l'exil Nabyl Lahlou Tamerdokht
2000 Ali Zaoua Nabil Ayouch Ali Zaoua's mother
Les lèvres du silence Hassan Benjelloun Aicha l’institutrice
1999 Histoire d'une rose Majid Rchich
1998 Destin de femme Hakim Noury Saida
1997 Les amis d'hier Hassan Benjelloun l'étudiante

References edit

  1. ^ "Amal Ayouch". AlloCine. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  2. ^ Bouhrara, Imane (15 March 2007). "Amal Ayouch, l'artiste philosophe" (in French). Maghress. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Amal Ayouch primée au Festival du film des femmes africaines de Brazzaville" (in French). AtlasInfo. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  4. ^ Jadraoui, Siham. "Fondation des arts vivants : du théâtre pour les quartiers défavorisés" (in French). Aujourd'hui. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d "Amal Ayouch : La comédienne militante". L'opinion. 25 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.