Morocco and France / 2005 / 17mins / Drama / Arabic

Amal is a 12-year old girl who lives in the countryside in Morocco. Everyday, she walks with her brother to the school a few miles away from their farm. A serious and passionate pupil, her dream is to become a doctor. Amal's dreams are suddenly interrupted the day her parents decide she will not be returning to school anymore.

Ali Benkirane

Benkirane was born in 1975. Deeply influenced by his multi-cultural heritage (Moroccan and Spanish), Ali Benkirane was inspired to study cinema at the ESRA in Paris, where he received his graduate degree in 1998. Thereafter, he began his career working as an assistant editor and assistant director on several movies in Morocco. In 2004, he wrote and directed the short Amal, his first major film as a director, about a young Moroccan girl eager to learn at school in order to become a doctor, but whose parents don’t agree with her ambition. The film won many prizes in French and international festivals, including Clermont-Ferrand, Aix-en-Provence, Montreal, Rotterdam, Dubai and San Francisco. Learn More