NO KEY nabs Best Director at International Festival of Independent Cinema of Casablanca

release date June 14 2023

Moroccan short film NO KEY continues to make waves on the festival circuit, winning the Best Director Award at the International Festival of Independent Cinema of Casablanca (FICIC) and raising the tally of its international awards to nine.

"I am very proud, happy, and thankful for the FICIC after the film's Moroccan premiere and first award in its home country. This, I think, is just the beginning,” said the film’s director Walid Messnaoui.

Previously, NO KEY screened at the Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival and won eight awards at four prestigious film festivals, including Best Crime Short (Outstanding Achievement Award) at the Indie Short Fest - Los Angeles International Film Festival, Best Actor at the Korea International Film Festival, and Best First-Time Short Film at the Boden International Film Festival.

The film follows a young burglar named Amine, who in his desperate hunt for a way out of his gloomy existence on the rough streets of Casablanca discovers a sealed jewelry box that represents his ticket to a brighter future in Europe.

However, when other gangs find out what’s in his possession, he must brave their treacherous terrain and face his own demons to keep his dream alive.

NO KEYS’ cast includes Rabii Glim, Ismail Elfallahi, Salah Ben Saleh, and Hasan Badidah.

Hailing from Casablanca, Walid Messnaoui earned his degree in directing and editing from the esteemed ESAV film school in Marrakech.

While pursuing his master's degree in editing in 2015, he directed SIX AND ZERO — a documentary that garnered acclaim and was selected by numerous international festivals, including the Malmö Arab Film Festival.

Fueled by an unquenchable passion for filmmaking, he eagerly sought opportunities to expand his knowledge and engaged in various workshops and residencies worldwide, including La Fémis: Summer University in France, Fajr Talent Campus in Iran, and INTERACTION Camp in Serbia.