Past Event, Arts & Culture, Social Justice
Taxi Casablanca Screening & Reception
Taxi Casablanca is a feature documentary that journeys into the daily life of Morocco’s first and only female taxi driver, Zakia Mezzour. The film is an intimate portrait of a modern-day pioneer forging her way in a man’s job, and is a glimpse into a fascinating Muslim society struggling with progress and old traditions.
As audiences rode along with Zakia in her old white 1970's Mercedes taxi, they meet many of her clients and family members, listened in on their ideas, dreams and hopes as they shed light on the situation of women in Morocco and all the issues that come into play: religion and cultural beliefs, poverty and education, modernization and traditionalism.
Along the way, viewers got to know Zakia as she tried to find freedom through her life and work as a female taxi driver, challenging the status quo as she transports city locals to all corners of Casablanca. But Zakia's taxi is aging and constantly breaking down. Viewers watched as her struggle for personal freedom became a struggle just to make ends meet in her day-to-day life.
The film is shot in Arabic and French with English subtitles and unfolds to the poetic sounds of the Cinematic Orchestra.
Speaker Bio
Mary Fowles, Co-Director, Writer & Producer - is a writer, journalist, and documentary filmmaker who grew up on Salt Spring Island and spent over a decade living and working in Montreal. In 2005 she traveled to Casablanca, Morocco, for one year where she wrote for the independent newsweekly magazine Le Journal Hebdomadaire, and later returned to Morocco to write, produce, and co-direct Taxi Casablanca, her first feature film. Her work stems from a love of personal stories and often explores the human struggle for fulfillment and freedom, delving deep into spiritual themes. She has a particular interest in women's untold stories and lives.
Mary is the recipient of the 2004 IDRC Award for International Development Journalism.
Co-Presented by
SFU's Vancity Office of Community Engagement, SFU's Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies and Cultures, and CJSF Radio
