Marrakech Film Festival: Mostafa Morad, the Director Redefining Margins and Migration

 

At the Marrakech Film Festival, where legends mingle with rising voices and the red carpet is only the first layer of a much deeper cultural exchange, Egyptian filmmaker Mostafa Morad arrived with the quiet confidence of a storyteller who knows exactly why he’s here. His debut feature, Aisha Can’t Fly Away, has already drawn acclaim across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, but its Middle East premiere in Marrakech carries a different weight, a homecoming of sorts, and a test before an audience of true cinephiles. “My screening was at 11 a.m., and it was a full house,” he says with a mix of disbelief and gratitude.

Morad’s journey with the film is rooted in the Atlas Workshops, where a single 20-minute preview caught the eye of a German distributor and set the international trajectory of Aisha in motion. Now, a year later, he returns not as a participant but as a contender in the festival’s official competition, closing a loop that few filmmakers experience so early in their careers.

AM: So Mostafa, your film Aisha Can’t Fly Away had its premiere this year. A big part of the project’s journey began at the Atlas Workshops. Can you tell me more about how Atlas supported you at the time and how it feels to now be in Marrakech premiering the film and having it in competition?
Mostafa Morad: It was a great experience being at Atlas. We made important connections with producers and distributors there. In fact, the German distributor who is releasing the film in Germany next month, we met him for the first time at Atlas. He watched 20 minutes of the film and liked it, and from that initial meeting our collaboration began. So Atlas really helped the film a lot. Being here in Marrakech for the Middle East premiere and having the film in the official competition feels like a full circle moment, because we were here at Atlas last year and now we’re back with the completed film. Not everyone gets that opportunity.

The audience here is very cinephile. My screening was at 11 a.m., and it was a full house.

AM: This is the first time the film is premiering in the Middle East. How does that feel?
Mostafa Morad: Yes, this is the Middle East premiere. Until now, the film has had a good run in Europe, Latin America, India, and Asia, but this is its first screening in the region. So it’s an important milestone.

AM: Let’s go back to the big moment at Cannes. Your film was selected for Un Certain Regard. How was that experience, especially since this is your first feature film?
Mostafa Morad: It was great. It was actually my second time at Cannes, since my short film screened in Semaine de la Critique before. But this time, with my first feature in the official selection of Un Certain Regard, that was huge. Of course it was intense and not easy as a first-time feature filmmaker, but it was an incredible experience.

AM: Your film explores timely and sensitive topics such as migration and the story of a woman navigating societal pressures. What drew you to these themes?
Mostafa Morad: I’ve been interested in themes of migration and different perspectives within Egyptian society since my earlier short films. My first short focused on a Sudanese migrant working as a henna artist. I realized that Egyptian cinema rarely centers non-Egyptian characters or African migrants, even though they form a significant part of our communities. I wanted to examine Egyptian society through new eyes, through marginalized voices. Growing up in a neighborhood shared by Egyptian locals and African migrants, I witnessed the complexities and tensions of those relationships. I wanted to reflect that reality on screen in a nuanced way, without heroes or villains, just people.

AM: Since the film hasn’t yet been released in Egypt, how do you anticipate local audiences will react?
Mostafa Morad: I think the reaction may be mixed, from both Egyptian and Sudanese audiences. Because the film doesn’t take sides and there are no clear heroes or villains, some people may resist that approach. My intention was simply to reflect the reality of that community without judgment.

AM: What was it like working with non-professional actors, especially your lead, Aisha?
Mostafa Morad: I actually prefer working with non-professional actors. Since my first short film, I knew that was the approach I wanted to take. I feel more comfortable exploring the story with real people rather than actors portraying a role. With Aisha, we had many conversations about the script and her personal experiences, which helped shape the character. That level of authenticity is something you can’t always get from trained actors.

AM: As an Egyptian filmmaker, you’ve carved out your own path by addressing important social realities. How do you feel about being seen as a voice for your generation or as someone representing Egypt internationally?
Mostafa Morad: I’m just focused on making the films I want to make. If my work can inspire or support other young Egyptian filmmakers, then that’s wonderful. I’m always happy to help emerging voices from Egypt. But ultimately, I’m simply trying to tell the stories that matter to me, in the way I feel is right.

AM: And what’s next for Aisha Can’t Fly Away and for you personally?
Mostafa Morad: The film’s festival journey continues, but now we’re focused on theatrical releases in different countries. It will open in Germany in January, in Brazil and France in March, and in Colombia and Spain in February. We’re also working on securing a release in India, where the film was very well received. As for me, I’ve already started developing my second feature. It’s a genre piece, a mix of thriller, crime, and body horror. I’m excited to keep exploring these themes and genres.