Much Loved

Prostitutes Noha, Soukaina and Randa help and protect each other. Not just because they are friends, but also out of pure necessity - no one else will. In Marrakesh, prostitution is covertly accepted. Everybody knows it exists, yet prostitutes live marginalised lives.
Nabil Ayouch, whose first film, Mektoub (1997), was also shown in Rotterdam, never chooses comfortable subjects. His previous work, Les chevaux de Dieu (2012), was about boys from the slums of Casablanca who grow into suicide terrorists. Much Loved, praised after premiering in Cannes, again touches a sore spot. In Morocco the film was prohibited. Based on a few excerpts, both the director and leading actress received threats.
Ayouch captures the lives of the three friends in lively and occasionally also dreamlike scenes. The comradery contrasts sharply with their social marginalisation. The film is a cry of encouragement for these strong women.