CALLE MÁLAGA

Morocco, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium I 2025 I Spanish, Arabic dialogue with English subtitles l 116 min

ABOUT FILM

Moroccan director Maryam Touzani confirms her position as one of the leading voices in contemporary Arab cinema with her feature film “Calle Málaga”, which began its international journey with its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, receiving widespread acclaim for a work that blends emotional sensitivity with profound humanity.

The film was shot in the city of Tangier and is in Spanish, a choice reflecting the intertwining of memory, history, and cross-cultural identity. “Calle Málaga” tells the story of an elderly Spanish woman living in Tangier who faces the possibility of losing her home after her daughter decides to sell it. The crisis transforms into a poignant confrontation with the past, love, belonging, and the meaning of place as a living memory that cannot be reduced to walls.

What distinguishes the film is its calm yet charged cinematic language, where Meryem Touzani focuses on small details, gestures, glances, and silence as keys to understanding the characters. The setting is not merely a backdrop but an active participant in the narrative; Tangier emerges as a city of passage, carrying traces of those who have lived, loved, and remained caught between two times. Carmen Maura’s performance in the lead role adds remarkable human depth, making the emotional experience both authentic and moving.

Following Venice, the film continued its international presence with significant screenings, including the Toronto International Film Festival, the Cairo International Film Festival (Official Competition), and the Marrakech International Film Festival in the Moroccan Panorama section. It was also selected to open the 29th edition of the Málaga Spanish Film Festival, highlighting its significance within the Mediterranean cinematic landscape, alongside its nomination to represent Morocco at the Oscars.

At the Malmö Arab Film Festival, “Calle Málaga” offers a high-caliber cinematic experience that intertwines love and memory, the personal and the transnational, inviting audiences to discover a film that celebrates humanity and the cities that inhabit us as much as we inhabit them, reaffirming the ability of Arab cinema to speak to the world with sensitivity and depth.