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THE WOUND to Hold National Premiere at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
11 June 2025
Following a critically acclaimed international festival journey, THE WOUND by Seloua El Gouni is set to make its Moroccan national premiere at the prestigious Casablanca Arab Film Festival, running from June 13th to the 20th. The screening marks a significant homecoming moment for the film, after notable appearances at Cannes, Beirut, Athens, and other global platforms.
THE WOUND will also be released in theaters across Morocco shortly after its Casablanca premiere, giving local audiences the chance to engage with one of the year’s most talked-about Moroccan films.
Continuing its festival run, the film has been selected for the Official Competition of the Mediterranean Film Festival taking place from June 21st to 29th in Malta, further cementing its position as a standout debut on the international circuit.
THE WOUND is a drama that explores the complexities of culture, tradition, and personal identity in contemporary Morocco through the eyes of Leila — a young woman on the cusp of adulthood who has just entered the workforce and attempts to pursue her passions and ambitions while also navigating the thorny societal constraints imposed on women.
The film offers a poignant insight into cultural complexities and women's challenges in contemporary Moroccan society.
Speaking on the film, the director has stated, "In the heart of Morocco, where the echoes of tradition often override the aspirations of individualism, my film takes viewers on a journey through the winding complexities of culture, tradition, and personal identity, which all intertwine deeply with the struggle for autonomy."
Most recently, THE WOUND held a successful Arab World premiere at the Beirut International Women’s Film Festival. Before that, it premiered to global audiences at the Athens International Art Film Festival in Greece, where it impressively won a Best First Feature Award right off the bat.
It subsequently participated in several international festivals, including the Bridges International Film Festival, the Women and World International Film Festival in the UK, the Scandinavian International Film Festival in Finland, and the Lift-Off Sessions for New Directors in the UK, where it won an Audience Choice Award.
THE WOUND is directed by Seloua El Gouni, which she produced in tandem with Taha Benghalem, who also worked as a screenwriter alongside brothers Brice and Brian Baxter. Its cast includes Oumaima Barid, Amal Ayouch, Mansour Badri, Brice Bexter, Soraya Azzabi, Abdelhak Saleh, and Sami Fekkak; each captured through the lens of DOP Travis Tips. International sales of the film is handled by MAD World.
Seloua El Gouni is a Moroccan filmmaker who worked on large-scale films such as MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL and A HOLOGRAM OF A KING. Her film THE WOUND marks her directorial debut.
THE WOUND will also be released in theaters across Morocco shortly after its Casablanca premiere, giving local audiences the chance to engage with one of the year’s most talked-about Moroccan films.
Continuing its festival run, the film has been selected for the Official Competition of the Mediterranean Film Festival taking place from June 21st to 29th in Malta, further cementing its position as a standout debut on the international circuit.
THE WOUND is a drama that explores the complexities of culture, tradition, and personal identity in contemporary Morocco through the eyes of Leila — a young woman on the cusp of adulthood who has just entered the workforce and attempts to pursue her passions and ambitions while also navigating the thorny societal constraints imposed on women.
The film offers a poignant insight into cultural complexities and women's challenges in contemporary Moroccan society.
Speaking on the film, the director has stated, "In the heart of Morocco, where the echoes of tradition often override the aspirations of individualism, my film takes viewers on a journey through the winding complexities of culture, tradition, and personal identity, which all intertwine deeply with the struggle for autonomy."
Most recently, THE WOUND held a successful Arab World premiere at the Beirut International Women’s Film Festival. Before that, it premiered to global audiences at the Athens International Art Film Festival in Greece, where it impressively won a Best First Feature Award right off the bat.
It subsequently participated in several international festivals, including the Bridges International Film Festival, the Women and World International Film Festival in the UK, the Scandinavian International Film Festival in Finland, and the Lift-Off Sessions for New Directors in the UK, where it won an Audience Choice Award.
THE WOUND is directed by Seloua El Gouni, which she produced in tandem with Taha Benghalem, who also worked as a screenwriter alongside brothers Brice and Brian Baxter. Its cast includes Oumaima Barid, Amal Ayouch, Mansour Badri, Brice Bexter, Soraya Azzabi, Abdelhak Saleh, and Sami Fekkak; each captured through the lens of DOP Travis Tips. International sales of the film is handled by MAD World.
Seloua El Gouni is a Moroccan filmmaker who worked on large-scale films such as MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL and A HOLOGRAM OF A KING. Her film THE WOUND marks her directorial debut.
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