Much Loved

{{Infobox film | name = Much Loved | image = Much Loved poster.jpg | caption = Film poster | director = Nabil Ayouch | producer = Saïd Hamich Benlarbi Eric Poulet Nabil Ayouch | writer = Nabil Ayouch | starring = Loubna Abidar Asmaa Lazrak | music = Mike Kourtzer | cinematography = Virginie Surdej | editing = Damien Keyeux | studio = Celluloid Dreams | distributor = Pyramide Distribution {{small|(France)}} | released = {{film date|2015|5|19|Cannes|2015|9|16|France|df=yes}} | runtime = 100 minutes (theatrical) 184 minutes (workprint) | country = Morocco France | language = Moroccan | budget = | gross = $1.3 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&wk=2015W38&id=_fMUCHLOVED01|title=Much Loved |work=Box Office Mojo}}</ref> }}

'''''Much Loved''''' (also known as '''''Zin Li Fik''''') is a 2015 French-Moroccan drama film directed by Nabil Ayouch about the prostitution scene in Marrakesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/much-loved-review-cannes-nabil-ayouch-1201505180/ |title=Cannes Film Review: 'Much Loved' |work=Variety|date=27 May 2015 }}</ref> It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/cannes-directors-fortnight-lineup-unveiled-1201476479/ |title=Cannes: Directors' Fortnight Unveils 2015 Lineup |accessdate=26 April 2015 |work=Variety|date=21 April 2015 }}</ref> The film has been banned in Morocco for alleged "contempt for moral values and the Moroccan woman".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/morocco-bans-nabil-ayouchs-cannes-798788 |title=Morocco Bans Nabil Ayouch's Cannes Title 'Much Loved' |work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=29 May 2015 }}</ref> It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.<ref name="variety">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/sandra-bullocks-our-brand-tom-hiddlestons-i-saw-the-light-to-premiere-at-toronto-1201572271/ |title=Sandra Bullock's 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Robert Redford's 'Truth' to Premiere at Toronto |accessdate=23 August 2015 |work=Variety|date=18 August 2015 }}</ref>

It is one of the first films to address the issue of prostitution in Morocco. Following the lives of four female sex workers, it brings to the forefront the exploitation of prostitutes by pimps, and the corruption of the police who sometimes even profit from the trade. The film stirred a national debate before it was released when rushes were stolen and leaked on the web.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nabil Ayouch, des filles et des tabous|url=https://www.troiscouleurs.fr/article/much-loved-notre-entretien-avec-le-realisateur-nabil-ayouch|work=Trois couleurs|date=16 September 2015}}</ref> The lead actress received death threats, and religious authorities condemned the film for portraying a negative image of Morocco, with its portrayals of extramarital sex and sympathetic views towards homosexuals.<ref>{{cite web|last1=chronicle.fanak.com|title=Controversial Sex Worker Drama 'Much Loved' Opens Debate about Prostitution in Morocco|url=https://chronicle.fanack.com/morocco/society-media-culture/media/controversial-sex-worker-drama-much-loved-opens-debate-about-prostitution-in-morocco/|website=fanack.com|accessdate=23 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723215225/https://chronicle.fanack.com/morocco/society-media-culture/media/controversial-sex-worker-drama-much-loved-opens-debate-about-prostitution-in-morocco/|archive-date=23 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Cast == * Loubna Abidar as Noha * Asmaa Lazrak as Randa * Halima Karaouane as Soukaina * Sara Elmhamdi Elalaoui as Hlima * Abdellah Didane as Said * Danny Boushebel as Ahmad

==Production== Loubna Abidar deceived the filmmaker Nabil Ayouch during the casting process, going so far as to disguise herself as a prostitute to pass the casting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Femme marocaine et libérée… Loubna Abidar, dérangeante icône ! |work=lavoixdunord.fr |url=http://cine.blogs.lavoixdunord.fr/archive/2015/09/15/femme-marocaine-et-liberee-loubna-abidar-derangeante-icone-14230.html |access-date=5 February 2022 }}</ref>

==Accolades== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! scope="col"|Award / Film Festival ! scope="col"|Category ! scope="col"|Recipients and nominees ! scope="col"|Result |- |César Awards<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/global/golden-years-marguerite-dheepan-mustang-lead-cesar-nominations-1201689761/|title='Golden Years,' 'Marguerite,' 'Dheepan,' 'Mustang' Lead Cesar Nominations |work=Variety|date=27 January 2016 }}</ref> |Best Actress |Loubna Abidar | {{nom}} |- |Lumière Awards<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18649483.html |title=Prix Lumières 2016 : Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse et Mustang en tête des nominations |date=4 January 2016 |work=AlloCiné}}</ref> |Best French-Language Film ! | {{won}} |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|4685750|Much Loved}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Much Loved}} Category:2015 films Category:2010s erotic drama films Category:2015 Arabic-language films Category:Films about prostitution in Morocco Category:French erotic drama films Category:Moroccan drama films Category:2010s Moroccan films Category:Films directed by Nabil Ayouch Category:2015 drama films Category:French LGBTQ-related films Category:2015 LGBTQ-related films Category:Best French-Language Film Lumières Award winners Category:2015 French films Category:2015 erotic films