I love you – Ahibak: a true story with a soundtrack made by Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood (from Radiohead)

This is the story of a mother, who tries to hide her secret passion to her father. Through her journey with her only child, we will discover the city of Morocco. A city rich in colors, movements and history. This journey will lead us to Nadia’s passion for tbourida. A traditional horse sport not usually practice by woman.

CHARACTERS

NADIA (30s) is the mother. She has a strong and tonic character with a powerful desire to get herself free from the traditional cliche gender and her father’s authority. DAOUD (7) is the only child of Nadia. Small and curious for his age, he represents the childhood dream often abandoned. NAZIR (60s) is the typical Moroccan Grandfather committed to his tradition. Old school but sensitive and sincere.

THEME

TRADITION vs MODERNITY. We all have a strong desire to accomplish our dreams by leading the life we want, this is the spirit of NADIA…she wants to ride horses (Tbourida) against the will of her dad. NADIA represents modernity against his father NAZIR who represents tradition.

FAMILY. Familial support is something that everyone look for. Through this clip, we will see that passion and dreams can rip us apart. Family can express disagreements with our hobbies by not showing support, which creates conflict.

INNER CHILD. We all have a child’s soul deep inside us.
DAOUD represents NADIA’s child voice, a woman with a strong desire to overcome the barriers and the limits. DAOUD is the allegory of belief and hope in a morose adult world.

Director’s Vision for ‘Ahibak’

The vision for this project was to draw inspiration from a true story and give it a voice. It explores themes of tradition and modernity, family support, self-confidence, and the preservation of the childlike spirit within each of us.

When I realized I needed to write a story about a song titled “I Love You,” I knew I didn’t want to take it in a romantic direction. Instead, I wanted to explore the love between a parent and a child, which, for me, evokes feelings of pride and fear of disappointment.

Nadia’s passion for Tbourida, a traditional ceremony/game involving horses and costumes, has been passed down through generations in Morocco and other countries. It symbolizes strength, victory, and brotherhood. The synchronized and unified firing of rifles towards the sky represents the most powerful and triumphant moment.

As I delved deeper into the subject, I discovered that Moroccan women aspire to break free from their boundaries and societal frameworks. Tbourida is one of those outlets, and through it, I chose to tell the story of Moroccan women and the clash between tradition and modernity.

The difference lies in a woman’s decision to mount a horse and take the risk with gunpowder, which many fathers view as dangerous and unacceptable. In the end, a loving father accepts his daughter’s passion, regardless of the risks.

The album speaks about a world without borders and differences with the “other.” The women strive to represent such a statement and endeavor to break through and unleash their full potential in a primitive world. They embody the fire and power of the album’s message

During the filming process, I faced the challenge of translating the script into the specific Moroccan Arabic dialect (Darija) and directing the actors to deliver the opening scene’s dialogue in the best and most authentic way that aligns with the vision and story. Fortunately, my grandfather and family always used Moroccan words, which helped me understand and communicate with them better. This challenge created even more interesting scenes as I had to rely on emotions and facial expressions to understand where the actors were coming from, rather than relying on words and language. It added more drama and depth to the story.

Moreover, with only three days of shooting, I had to take on multiple roles as the director and cinematographer, while managing a mixed Israeli-Moroccan team and communicating with them in French. It required precise planning to capture the most in a short amount of time. Every moment was meticulously designed in 3D, ensuring precise measurements for lens selection and camera movement. This level of preparation was crucial as I wanted to capture a significant amount of footage efficiently.

The inspiration for Nadia’s story came from real-life experiences shared by the main actress (Amal Ahamri), who taught and guided me. I realized it was a recurring theme with a powerful message that these women wanted to convey. From that moment, I knew I wanted to break boundaries for them and create a world without limits, aligning with the essence of the album. I wanted to empower young women in Morocco to pursue their dreams, even if it meant challenging societal norms.

Surprisingly, I found myself deeply moved by a foreign culture, witnessing how it connected with my own at a profound and energetic level. Growing up with a Moroccan father, I was surprised by how much we still share on an underlying level, even in moments of disappointment or family issues, as love flows within us during Tbourida.

Overall, the filming process was a journey filled with challenges, inspiration from true stories, and strong connections with the culture and actors. The combination of planning, emotional storytelling, and a supportive team allowed us to create a meaningful and impactful project.