Ali Zaoua, prince de la rue

When I hear some petulant tot in the Safeway market candy section whining because he can't have two candy bars, I want to plop the spoiled child in front of this film for about five minutes, which would be quite enough.

Director Ayouch mixes elements of children's stark gang life in modern day Casablanca with the hallucinatory dreams they have, and he creates a harsh and vivid tale built around three close pals who decide they must give their most recently murdered friend a decent burial--he was, after all their Prince, their leader, their compatriot. This may not sound like the stuff movie dreams are made of, and its not exactly a cheerer-upper, but the young actors are astoundingly real--and sometimes quite funny--and the willing viewer can be transported to another world within a world unlike anything you might find in Iowa

This is memorable film-making, examining a particular time and place-- in this case the Middle East--for it's universal elements; it isn't anywhere near the sweetness and light of The Sound of Music, but is perhaps a more honest immersion in human behavior.

perusing the local library i came across this gem.

the film was released by "filmmovement: a declaration of independents." does anyone have any recommendations for similar type films, possibly by this same publisher?

one of the most chilling, unique, and realistic parts of the film was the abrupt death of "ali" in the beginning. after my expecting of ali to be the main character, i was shocked by his death, but the children live in a merciless world. very realistic as above mentioned.

the gang slogan "life...is a pile of s**t" was a bit depressing. but the overall cheerfulness of the youngest of the three main characters kept my spirits up through the film. "show your pride"... after a goal really cracked me up.

the connection of the 2 suns to the tape in ali's house was an interesting psychological connection thrown in by the author.

my recommendation for more great foreign films: "trois couleurs" directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski and "Obchod na korze" (A Shop on Main Street) by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos. really great stuff.

This is definitely one of the best films that i've seen lately. It tells the story of Moroccan street children who live in the filth of the gutters of present-day Casablanca. These homeless urchins, with a few exceptions, make up a gang of at least 75-100 kids who pick pockets, sniff glue and are led by Dib, a modern-day Fagin. A band of 3 ids, following a dreamer- Ali Zaoua, splits from this gang. When Ali is killed by a kid from the gang, the story begins.

We follow these children as they try to give Ali a funeral, and what we see in their world is at times terrifying, or at least extremely upsetting and unsettling. Part of what makes the film so effective is that the children are not actors- they are real street children. they are not Hollywood's dirty Orphan Annies, in pre-stained clothing and manufactured dirt- they are real. Dib is one of the few professional actors in the film. It is at times difficult to see because of this. Still, Ali Zaoua is an extremely good and possibly great film.

This is an amazing film. It has to be up there with "City of God" and "Pixote" (Brazil), "At- The Horse" (Turkey), "Saalam Bombay" (India) and "Amores Perros" (Mexico) as well as the American documentary "Streetwise" as one of the best contemporary movies about poverty and the social repression and horrors it brings to its subjects. The film is engrossing, captivating, disturbing and harrowing on many levels. The film is also a remarkable fusion of Godard, gangster films and "Arabian Nights." A shocking thing happens to the film's title character at the outset of the film, and we are transported into a world that is both enchating and perilous as if we are traveling with Sinbad across the 7 seas. Alas, this is no fantasy and we are reminded of that all too suddenly and it is a power that haunts the viewer as the final credits roll. The film also reminds one of our great independent filmmakers, like Spike Lee and Jim Jarmusch in terms of applying simplicity to brilliant and stark primary and secondary characters thus allowing a documentary feel to float with the narrative. Alas, when one is from Morroco as this filmmaker is, it usually takes two or three major efforts like this before you are recognized as being a cinematic genius. One of the best African films I've seen, along with "Quartier Mozart" from Cameroon, and certainly worth one's time.

Only seldom have I seen a movie that's so realistic. It definitely has an enlighting influence on ones mind. The way you look at the world really does change after seeing those poor and yet so, in a heart-touching way, funny streetchildren. One of my top ten movies, I assure you !!