
The filmmaker takes a humorous look at his own childhood. With a bigamous father and polygamous grandfather he grew up in a happy harem. There, with the women, children and servants, he shared the joys, sorrows and conflicts of this small community under the sometimes strict, sometimes indulgent eye of the Master. When he became a man the filmmaker looked back with nostalgia on those happy days. "And since I’m not polygamous, I felt that the best way I might dispel any preconceived ideas was, instead of adopting an analytical approach, to tell a light-hearted story by using humor and the right words and by portraying the characters with fondness. It is my way of denouncing things and entertaining at the same time".
Production:
ARTS TECHNIQUES AUDIOVISUELS
Mohamed Abderraha’ Tazi
5, rue Lomaria, Hay Riad, Rabat
B.P.2028 Riad, Rabat, 10104 (Morocco)
Tel. 2127713545
Fax: 2127713545.
Coproduction:
CINETELEFILMS (Tunisia), Télévision marocaine (Morocco), Canal+ Horizons (France), TOUZA PRODUCTIONS (France)
With the participation of:
FONDS SUD CINEMA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre National de la Cinématographie - France), Fonds d’Aide à la Production Nationale (Morocco), Royal Air Morocco, ACCT (France)
Distribution/International Sales:
ARTS TECHNIQUES AUDIOVISUELS.
Contact in France:
TOUZA PRODUCTIONS
Hassen Daldoul
81, rue Réaumur, 75002 Paris
Tel. 33 (1) 44 79 04 31
Fax: 33 (1) 42 47 02 88

1997
Original screenplay
Noureddine Saïl based on an original idea of Mohamed Abderrahman Tazi
Running time
95’
35 mm colour
Feature Film
Original version in Arab, subtitled in French
Director of Photography
Alain Marcoen
Sound
Fawzi Thabet
Music
Abdelwahab Doukkali
Editing
Kahéna Attia
Scenery
Aziz Saïd
Naïma Bouanani
Cast
Amidou (Hadj Ben Moussa)
Amina Rachid (Lalla Hobby)
Naïma Lemecherqui (Lalla Rabiaa)
Ahmed Taïeb El Alj (Hadj Driss)
Samia Akariou (Houda)
Mohamed Abderrahman Tazi studied film at IDHEC (Paris) and at Mass Media Communications (Syracuse University, USA). He has worked as director of photography on several feature films, has directed short films, documentaries and commercials, and has been a technical advisor and production manager for foreign films shot in Morocco (Robert Wise, John Huston, Francis F. Coppola). His films: "Le Grand voyage" (1981), "Badis" (1989), "A la recherche du mari de ma femme" (1993).