ON THE EDGE

Directed by Leila Kilani

France, Germany, Morocco, 2011 , 106 min.

Women Filmmakers Week

In Tangier’s old town, Badia and Imane, two young girls from Casablanca, live their lives amongst the army of workers who inhabit the city. Peeling shrimp by day in a spotless shrimp factory and turning tricks by night, the girls make extra money by fencing the meager goods stolen from their nocturnal “clients.” They dream of bigger things. Beyond Tangier lies the “Free Zone,” a symbol for global subcontracting. It is Europe on Moroccan land: close, tangible, but accessible only to those privileged with a work permit. Together with two other girls, they gain access to this world of cosmopolitan cafes, upscale oceanfront houses, high-paying jobs, and luxury goods. They explore every corner of this new reality and make it theirs from dusk to dawn. But eventually this materialistic paradise will reveal its dark side. This powerful film by Leila Kelani has won numerous international awards.

In Arabic with English subtitles.

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