Marrakech Inshallah

The young Aziz lives with his parents and much older brother Hammadi in a small village in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. There are no prospects and, when his brother leaves for Marrakech, it is not long before little Aziz follows him. Through the eyes of Aziz we then see this city unfold as a complex maze that is more difficult to conquer than one would think. It’s not easy to get money and work and living conditions for many people are no better than in the mountains. In a voice-over, Aziz talks about his experiences; his pure and innocent gaze only serves to make the city bigger and the chance of happiness smaller. This doesn’t change when he eventually finds his indifferent brother.
Marakkech Inshallah has a wonderfully documentary air. That brings the film close to a second theme that interests the film makers Steffen and Christian Pierce. In 1988, they shot the documentary The Bride Market of Imilchil in Morocco. For this they interviewed dozens of Moroccans who were later arrested and questioned by the police. They didn’t forget this experience and it was incorporated in Marrakech Inshallah, which was shot about 15 years later. One of the brothers turns up in the film as a documentary maker who wants to interview Hammadi. He refuses to answer when the questions get too personal, with all the necessary consequences for Aziz.

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