Nabil Ayoush / Much Loved

Nabil Ayouch was born in Paris in 1969 to a Moroccan Muslim father and a Tunisian Jewish mother.

He began his career in advertising, eventually transitioning to film.

His features as director are Mektoub (1997), Ali Zaoua (2000), Une Minute de Soleil en Moin (2002), Whatever Lola Wants (2008).

His acclaimed feature Horses of God competed in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, and was part of the ANA 2013 selection.

Nabil was a resident at the JBFC during the screening and was interviewed by Jonathan Demme, who eventually helped garner Horses of God US distribution. 

Much Loved (2015) his latest feature about sex workers in Morocco did the "A-list" festival circuit collecting awards along the way. During its first Arab world screening at the Carthage International Film Festival, it won the Jury Award, and the Ministry of Communication’s wrath. The ministry banned the film in Morocco, and since then both Ayouch and his main actress have received threats on their lives.