ALI ZAOUA PRINCE OF THE STREET

Nabil Ayouch

morocco france belgium tunisia united states 2000 99 min

against a background of dockside poverty in casablanca four young friends who are members of a gang rebel against their cruel leader and strike out on their own although surrounded by crime violence and degradation they long for love and tenderness ali dreams of escaping to the sea becoming a sailor and reaching an island where two suns set where he can become a prince and meet a lovely woman.

• About the film

  original title ali zaoua le prince de la rue

  directed by nabil ayouch

  written by nabil ayouch and nathalie saugeon

  cast saïd taghmaoui mounïm kbab hicham moussoune mustapha hansali abdelhak zhayra

  cinematography renaat lambeets vincent mathias

  editing jean-robert thomann

  music krishna levy

  production companies ali n’ productions alexis films playtime tf1 international

• Festivals & Awards

  Stockholm International Film Festival
  2000 | Official Selection
  Award: Bronze Horse — Best Film

  Festival international du film d’Amiens
  2000 | Official Selection
  Award: Audience Award — Best Film

  Festival international du film de Montréal
  2000 | Official Selection
  Award: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury

  Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur
  2000 | Official Selection
  Awards: Golden Bayard — Best Actor (shared by the four young performers); ACCT Promotional Award; Youth Jury Award

  FESPACO — Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
  2001 | Official Competition
  Award: Étalon d’or de Yennenga

  International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK)
  2001 | International Competition
  Award: FIPRESCI Prize

  Giffoni Film Festival
  2001 | Free to Fly
  Award: Bronze Gryphon

  Zlín Film Festival
  2001 | Feature Film — Youth
  Awards: Golden Slipper; Ecumenical Jury Special Mention; Don Quixote Award

  Seattle International Film Festival
  2001 | Official Selection

  Festival du cinéma africain de Khouribga
  2001 | Official Competition
  Award: Grand Prix

  Alexandria International Film Festival
  2001 | Official Selection
  Awards: Best Film; Best Director; Best Actor (shared by the four young performers); Best Editing

  Bergen International Film Festival
  2001 | Official Selection
  Award reported: Jury Honourable Mention

  St. Louis International Film Festival
  2002 | Official Selection
  Award: Interfaith Award — Feature Film

  Black Movie — Geneva
  2002 | Official Selection
  Award: Audience Award