Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets

zaoua Year 2000
Length 90 minutes
Director Nabil Ayouch
Screenwriters Nabil Ayouch and Nathalie Saugeon
Cast Maunim Kbab, Abdelhak Zhayra, Hicham Moussaune, Amal Ayouch, Mustapha Hansali

Kwita (Maunim Kbab), Omar (Mustapha Hansali), Boubker (Hicham Moussaune) and Ali Zaoua (Abdelhak Zhayra) are homeless boys living in Casablanca. Ali is killed by members of a gang, and the other boys decide to give him a proper prince's funeral. Through the movie the characters have fantasies from sniffing glue of a life they want, where they live on an island with two suns, and that gives them an escape from reality.

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By only having three adult characters and giving the rest of the roles to children, this movie vividly shows us their life and how they've come to see its harsh realities at only eight. Even though it is very depressing, the performances from the children and their sense of the few comic elements of their life are what makes the movie enjoyable. It also reminds the viewer of how well children can adapt to any circumstance.