The film had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival at the Venice Spotlight section.
Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani’s latest feature, Calle Málaga, has been officially selected as Morocco’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2026 Academy Awards. The decision was announced by a special commission from the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre (CCM), chaired by Tariq Khalami and composed of prominent figures from the country’s film industry, including Zakia Tahiri, Selma Bargach, Mariem Lee Abounoum, Mohamed Alaoui, Adil Fadili and festival director Ahmed Housni.
The selection committee unanimously chose Calle Málaga for its emotional depth, technical excellence and strong international distribution potential. The film had its world premiere on August 29, 2025, in the Venice Spotlight section at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. Following its success in Venice, it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and is set for theatrical release in France on March 16 next year.
Set in Tangier, Calle Málaga follows the moving story of María Ángeles, a 79-year-old Spanish woman who has lived alone in Morocco for decades. Her peaceful life is disrupted when her daughter arrives from Madrid intent on selling the apartment that has long been her home. Determined to resist, María Ángeles embarks on a deeply human struggle to protect her house and the memories it holds. The film stars legendary Spanish actress Carmen Maura, known for her long-standing collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar, whose performance has been widely praised for its emotional power and authenticity.
The film is a co-production involving companies from Morocco (Ali n’ Productions), France (Les Films du Nouveau Monde), Spain (Mod Producciones), Germany (One Two Films), and Belgium (Velvet Films), with additional participation from RTVE and Movistar Plus+.
Born in Tangier in 1980, Maryam Touzani began her career as a film critic and journalist after studying journalism in London, before transitioning to filmmaking. She made her directorial debut in 2011 with the short film Quand ils dorment, which won 17 awards internationally, including the Special Jury Prize at the Huesca International Film Festival. Her first feature, Adam (2019), premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section and was selected as Morocco’s Oscar entry for the 92nd Academy Awards. She followed it with The Blue Caftan (2022), which received widespread acclaim and represented Morocco at the 95th Academy Awards, making it to the shortlist.
Morocco has been submitting films to the Academy Awards since 1977. Although the country has yet to secure a nomination, recent entries such as The Mother of All Lies (2023) and Touzani’s The Blue Caftan (2022) have both reached the shortlist, reflecting the growing international recognition of Moroccan cinema.
