“Adam” recaps three generations of Moroccan women who go through a unique loveless experience in an oppressive society where religion controls every aspect of life, and, added to male dominance, women struggle for their fundamental rights to work, love, and survive in their country.
“Adam” is a catharsis for women seeking to live free of old societal biases.
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| Nasrin Erradi is Semia in “Adam.” Strand Releasing ©2019 |
Alone on the streets of Casablanca, a troubled young pregnant woman named Semia, admirably played by Nasrin Erradi (“Catch the Wind”), is searching for shelter. Prejudices and stigmas prevent villagers and residents from helping a stranger who is expecting a child without a husband.
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| Lubna Azabal as Abla in “Adam.” Standard Releasing ©2019 |
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| Nasrin Erradi is Semia in “Adam.” Strand Releasing ©2019 |
Semia needs shelter until her son is born. Then she plans to give him away and return to her community; afterward, her family will welcome her back as if nothing had happened.
Abla can host the troubled woman for only three days before neighbors start gossiping about what’s happening in that house. She already has enough problems with her daughter and her business, and can’t easily give up any allowances.
The interaction among the three women is tense, as no one can openly express what they hide inside. However, their lives will change dramatically after making crucial decisions, and they will let go of their pride, helping them build a strong bond as they enter womanhood.
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| Nasrin Erradi is Semia in “Adam.” Strand Releasing ©2019 |
The complications keep the audience wondering how those relationships will unfold for the resilient women, who must confront their judgmental society and themselves.
The outstanding performances make the characters believable as they connect with their problems and surroundings, including the house, business, food, and forbidden music.
When the actresses learned about the project, they wanted to read the script immediately and bring the stoic Moroccan women to life.
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| Maryam Touzani, writer/director of “Adam.” Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019 |
When director Maryam Touzani was a child at her parents’ house, she saw women becoming mothers. That moment sparked a maternal instinct in every woman in her home, including her. Becoming a mother inspired Maryam to create a film about motherhood. To tell her story honestly,
Maryam aimed to be as realistic and truthful as possible. “Stories of women need to be told from a woman’s perspective. The point-of-view from a woman director can trigger a change in society,” Maryam Touzani said at a Q&A after the screening of her film at the AFI Fest 2019 in Los Angeles.
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| Maryam Touzani, writer/director of “Adam.” Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019 |
In recent years, Muslim women directors have bravely spoken out through cinema. Many have pursued their passion, discovering their unique voices by sharing personal stories with distinctive styles and aesthetics.
Co-produced by Morocco, France, and Belgium, “Adam” is the notable Moroccan debut of 2019. It was selected to represent the North African country in the Best International Feature Film category at the 92nd Academy Awards.
In “Adam’s” early universe, women distrust one another but must be courageous and support one another to resist the oppression of their fundamentalist society in Morocco.
The three women carry heavy burdens, including anxiety, grief, and depression. They need to find the right moment to reveal their hidden desires and move past their traumatic experiences before a baby is born.
The film’s pacing reveals just enough to prompt the audience to consider how Adam’s birth influences the lives of these struggling women.
Without drifting into “feminist” territory, “Adam” serves as a catharsis that frees women mentally, physically, and emotionally from an oppressive and claustrophobic environment. Motherhood offers them hope and a deeper understanding of their microcosm.
Eloquently and beautifully crafted, “Adam” encourages us to reflect on how fortunate we are to breathe freely, while in other parts of the world, women must be resilient, stoic, and agents of change against oppression.
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| Maryam Touzani, writer/director of “Adam.” Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA, ©2019 |
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| Lubna Azabal plays Abla in Adam. Critic José Alberto Hermosillo, Festival in LA ©2019 |
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