Unearthing hidden histories
Reading as much as I can about the 'quartier reservé' in Morocco and the broader Maghreb region is both necessary and overwhelming. These areas, created by the French colonial powers as red-light districts to cater to the "needs" of French soldiers, hold many untold stories. The enigmatic Oum El Hassen, around whom my screenplay The Ogress of Fez revolves, is a particularly fascinating figure. The more I dig, the more I realise how much of the research is written by people outside of Moroccan culture. Their perspectives, though valuable, lack the intimate understanding I'm searching for.
The voices of the working women in these quartiers réservés are sparse and elusive. Finding their stories in their own words feels like uncovering a hidden treasure. One book, about Bousbir - the first red-light district established in Casablanca - offers a rare glimpse into the daily routines of some of these women. It’s the minutiae, the supposedly banal and mundane details of everyday life, that draw me in. These are the threads that will weave the fabric of my screenplay.
Expanding my reading to encompass the broader Maghreb region is equally important. Oum El Hassen, after all, was born in Algeria. To truly understand her, I need to immerse myself in the world she experienced growing up. Revisiting cherished books like The Simple Past by Driss Chraïbi, though set a few decades later, helps ground me in the societal context that shaped lives during the colonial period. This novel, published when the quartiers réservés were still intact and just a few years before Morocco's independence, holds a wealth of inspiration within its pages.
The deadline to submit the draft screenplay and accompanying assets for the DFI Screenwriter's Lab is looming. I've reached 55 pages, but the pressure to balance writing with my day job and family responsibilities is intense. There’s a constant push and pull between wanting more time and needing to push forward. Working under time pressure is uncomfortable, but it's often the catalyst for my best work. Perseverance is key, and despite the challenges, there's a thrill in bringing this story to life, in pulling together the fragmented pieces of history and fiction to create something new.